The Man in the Spider Mask
by CarVie16
Summary: (WARNING: SPOILERS FOR MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN PS4) A story about Peter Parker living his life as boyfriend, superhero, and citizen of New York following the events of the video game's story. Whether it's teaming up with Captain Yuri Watanabe, training Miles Morales, or having quite nights with MJ, the life of Spider-Man is anything but dull.
1. Spider-Cop and The Chief

**Three words to describe the new Spider-Man video game: AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! ULTIMATE!**

 **TBH I'm just testing myself on writing a Spider-Man story. I'm sorry if it seems lacking or anything. I try my best, though.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **WARNING: Again, Spoiler Alert! Don't read if you haven't played/seen Marvel's Spider-Man PS4.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's Spider-Man PS4. It belongs to Sony and Insomniac.**

It is another typical morning in the good city of Manhattan. People with smiles on the streets. Pigeons flying up above. J. Jonah Jameson's anti-Spider-Man rants booming through the radios and the internet. And speaking of Spider-Man, everyone's favorite wall-crawler was happily swinging around New York, doing some mid-air tricks for the sake of showing off. Everyone who saw him immediately took pictures, recorded him, or just simply waved. Spider-Man waved back at the happy citizens. No matter what J. Jonah Jameson says, most of New York admires Spider-Man and his heroics.

Suddenly, he gets a call. It was from MJ.

 _"Hey, where are you?" MJ asked. "I came back to the apartment and you weren't there. You left the window open, and now there are pigeons all over the kitchen."_

"Sorry!" Spider-Man apologized. "Yuri called. She said it was urgent."

 _"Well, hurry back when you can. I'm making cheese and macaroni for lunch," said MJ._

"Great food from a great cook. The ultimate motivator," Spider-Man commented.

 _MJ chuckled a little. "Just don't get shot. Or else no dessert for you."_

"Why? What'd you buy?" Spider-Man asked excitedly.

 _MJ laughed again. "Good luck, Peter."_

And the call ended. Now, all Spider-Man can think of was what was for desert. Neapolitan ice cream? Banana split? An MJ-branded special? Well, one thing's for sure, he's gonna try his best not to get shot. Right now, he had to get to Yuri and end this fast in time for lunch. She said to meet him at an alleyway south of Consolidated Shipping. He stopped on the edge of a rooftop to look for his best (and only) friend from the NYPD. Unfortunately, he couldn't find her. The only person there was an adult woman looking at her phone. Somethings seemed familiar about her.

Three guys walk up to her and Spider-Man did not like the way they were approaching her. For one thing, one of these guys has a gun.

"Alright, lady. Hand over everything in your pockets and you get to walk away from this," Mugger #1 threatened.

Spider-Man was about to intervene when, all of a sudden, the woman grabs Mugger #1's arm, disarms him, and then elbows him in the face. She then disassembles the gun. Angered, Mugger #1 attacks, but the woman dodges his punches and then kicks him in back, knocking him into a nearby dumpster. Mugger #2 attacks, but the woman knees him in the stomach and then twists his arm. Mugger #3 goes for a punch, but the woman quickly kicks him in the stomach. She slams Mugger #2's face to the ground before punching Mugger #3 in the face.

Mugger #2 was about to get up, until he was webbed down to the ground. Spider-Man jumps down from above and webs Mugger #3 to the wall before he could attack again. Mugger #1 digs himself out of the dumpster, but before he could get out, Spider-Man webs the lid and then pulls it down to hit the mugger in the head, knocking him out. He webs the lid shut so the mugger can't escape when he wakes up.

"Didn't your mothers tell you that it's wrong to punch a lady?" Spider-Man said humorously.

Now that the three muggers are down, Spider-Man faces the woman who just kicked their butts. She wasn't just any woman. It was Yuri. But she wasn't dressed up in her typical black jacket and there was no captain's badge strapped to her belt. Instead, she was wearing a black hoodie, as if she was trying to hide her face.

"Did your landlord kick you out of your apartment?" Spider-Man joked.

"No, I just needed to blend in with the crowd," said Yuri. "I didn't want anyone recognizing me."

Yuri takes out her phone to turn it off because it was still on during the fight. Before she turned it off, Spider-Man was able to hear what she was watching/listening to. J. Jonah Jameson's trademark ranting.

 _"... Spider-Man playing basketball with a bunch of kids?" Jameson then laughed hysterically. "I mean, I'm told that he's doing a bunch of so-called amazing stuff, like dunking from the three-point line, shooting the ball with his index finger... from half-court... and spinning 360-degrees three times in the air before dunking. And the poor souls he forces to watch him actually cheer for all that. If he thinks mingling with the folks and showing off is gonna make him look like a people's person, then he is sadly mistaken. Just another one of his ruses to get the people of New York to adore him..."_

Yuri stops listening to the broadcast.

"You listen to Just The Facts?" asked Spider-Man.

"Just because I trust you, it doesn't mean I don't want to keep an eye on you," said Yuri.

"Hey, if this is about the pigeons thing, I was doing a friend a favor," Spider-Man explained. "He has... had... a wife who owned those pigeons. Sadly, she passed away, and the pigeons were released after her husband was kicked out his apartment. I was just helping him get back what's left of his wife."

"Wow, that's... that's actually quite touching," Yuri said honestly.

"And I play basketball to pass the time," said Spider-Man. "I love my job, but even someone like me needs a break every now and then. Plus, I love basketball."

"Okay, okay, no need to explain yourself. I know when and when to not listen to Jameson," said Yuri.

"So, why'd you call me here?" asked Spider-Man.

"Let's talk without any ears around," said Yuri, gesturing to the webbed-up but still conscious muggers.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN** **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

The police captain and the masked vigilante walked to a spot where no one can see or hear them so they can talk about business without any witnesses.

"So, why ask us to meet in a filthy alley instead of the precinct rooftop?" asked Spider-Man. "I didn't exactly build respirators in this mask."

"Lonnie Lincoln escaped from Ryker's," said Yuri.

"Whoa, whoa, what?! Tombstone escaped prison?!" Spider-Man reacted, surprised. "But then why wasn't it on the news?"

"Tombstone used a body double to take his place. A very convincing one," said Yuri.

"So, Tombstone just happened to find a 6'7'', 385-pound twin who was willing to take his place?" Spider-Man questioned.

"I wouldn't say he's the perfect copy, but someone big and convincing enough for no one to have noticed," said Yuri. "I got a look at the impostor at Ryker's. Could've fooled me, but I can tell a fake from the original."

"Well, I guess that explains the increase in police patrols these past few days," said Spider-Man.

"The last thing we want is panic. That's why we still have the public believing that the big guy locked up at Ryker's is really Tombstone," said Yuri. "But we have to find the real Tombstone because someone finds out."

"And you're hiding from the public to see me, why?" asked Spider-Man.

"I want you to find him before my men do," said Yuri. "And then you and I are gonna take him down together."

"Wait, you actually want your boys and girls to fail?" Spider-Man questioned.

"I want them to keep anyone from knowing that Lincoln is out of prison," said Yuri. "And I want you to use your connection to the crime towers to find him. Can I trust your to do your job... Spider-Cop?"

Spider-Man gasped with delight. In a gruff, gravely voice, he says, "You can count on me, Chief. Spider-Cop always finds his man. Always."

"Don't make me shoot you," Yuri said sarcastically and threateningly.

"Aw, but you love me too much to shoot me," Spider-Man said sweetly.

* * *

And so, Spider-Man gets to work on locating Tombstone. Standing on top of a very tall building, he uses the crime towers all over New York to find any leads on the drug dealer. He heard about someone buying a drug called "Grave Dust," which is a drug created by none other than Tombstone himself. As far as anyone who monitors the towers know, it's just Tombstone's gang continuing his work while he's behind bars. But the NYPD know better. Spider-Man called Yuri and let her know where to meet him.

The man who bought the Grave Dust returned to his apartment. A few minutes later, a loud voice boomed from other side of his door.

"NYPD! Open up!"

This was followed by the kicking down of his door. It was Spider-Man, accompanied by Captain Watanabe, who had her gun raised.

"You know you're not a cop, right?" Yuri said.

"I just always wanted to do that," said Spider-Man.

Yuri rolls her eyes in annoyance before focusing on the apartment's owner.

"Hands up, young man," she ordered.

The young man raised his hands. Spider-Man swiped the Grave Dust from him.

"I'm going to jail, am I?" asked the young man.

"Dude, seriously? You dealt with drugs. I mean, that an automatic ticket to the big house," said Spider-Man. "I mean, why drugs? Why not work at a fast food restaurant or make scarfs for little kids?"

"Who did you buy this drug from?" Yuri asked, still holding up her gun.

"Whoa, I ain't saying nothing," said the young man.

To Spider-Man's shock, Yuri hits the young man in the face with her gun. The young man lies on the ground trying to crawl away from the police captain. Spider-Man had to step in between them to avoid any more bodily harm.

"Whoa, captain. Not cool," said Spider-Man.

"She's crazy, man," said the young man.

"Look, uh... what's your name?" asked Spider-Man.

"Jerry," said the young man.

"Look, Jerry, my friend here can be rough around the edges when it comes to crooks, so why don't you just cooperate? It'll be better for all of us," said Spider-Man. "I'll ask this time. Who did you buy the drug from and where can we find them?"

"They'll kill me if they find out I ratted them out," said Jerry.

Yuri did something uncharacteristic again. She shoots Jerry's TV. A warning shot.

"They're names are Willy and Ron! They work in a warehouse somewhere in Chinatown," Jerry confessed, scared of Yuri.

"Uh... okay... thank you," Spider-Man said awkwardly, looking back and forth between Yuri and Jerry. "We'll, uh, we'll be leaving now."

"I'll take him to the station. You go find his friends," said Yuri.

Yuri cuffs Jerry and takes him to her car. Spider-Man just stood there and stared at Yuri with concern. He's heard about her being a bit of a loose cannon in her younger days, but she's a full-blown member of the police force now. She's the police captain. Even though she trusted him, a vigilante, to protect New York, Yuri's always tried to keep things by-the-book. Yet, Spider-Man just saw her assault Jerry and use a warning shot to scare him into confessing. What's going on with her?

* * *

As if what happened at Jarred's apartment wasn't bad enough, it got worse when Yuri met up with Spider-Man at a warehouse in Chinatown. It all started with sneaking around. Yuri slips in through the open back door while Spider-Man sneaks in through a hole in the roof. Willy and Ron were there, trying to pack up the drugs they have in the place and moving somewhere else. That is, until their box of drugs is yanked from them by a long string of web.

"Seriously, you guys need to rethink your life choices," Spider-Man started. "Have you considered life at the docks? I hear it's relaxing, and I don't just mean on television."

"It's Spider-Man! Shoot him!" Willy shouted.

Willy and Ron reach for their guns, but they were startled when they heard a gunshot. It was Yuri.

"Hands up and don't move," Yuri ordered.

Willy puts his hands in the air, but Ron decided to be stupid and quickly pulled out his gun. Yuri fired and hits Ron on the shoulder, causing him to drop his gun. He was about to reach for it with his non-injured arm, but Yuri kicks it away and then kicks Ron down.

"Try anything and you're not walking away from this," Yuri threatened.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa there, Captain. No need to get violent," said Spider-Man.

"We have no time to play nice," said Yuri. She looks at Willy and asks, "Where's Lonnie Lincoln?"

"Tombstone? We don't know," said Willy.

"Wrong answer, pal," Yuri said angrily, pressing her gun against his head threateningly.

"Uh, Yuri, mind if you put the gun down?" Spider-Man said as he took Willy's gun. "This is not gonna look good on your reputation."

"You wanna get things done in this city, sometimes you have to be rough," said Yuri.

"I know you have a reputation for breaking protocol when you're provoked, but this is not you, Captain," said Spider-Man.

Yuri ignored Spider-Man and turned her attention back to Willy.

"Unless you want to end up like your friend, you're gonna talk," Yuri threatened.

"I don't know where Tombstone is, but Ron does," said Willy.

Yuri looks down at Ron while keeping her gun on Willy's head. Spider-Man gave Ron a piece of cloth to stop the bleeding, much to Ron's

"His old chop shop," said Ron. "There are some stuff there that the police and the firemen haven't found. After that, he's moving to another place to set up his operations, but he didn't tell us where."

"We better get to the chop shop," said Yuri. "Spider-Man, web 'em up. I'm gonna call for someone to pick them up."

"And call a medic. Ron here needs medical attention," said Spider-Man.

Yuri takes out her phone and makes a call as she walks out of the warehouse. Spider-Man webs Willy to the wall and webs Ron's legs to the floor. He gives Ron more cloth for him to cover his bullet wound to avoid bleeding out.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN** **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Yuri had just finished calling for officers and medics to pick up Willy and Ron. She was about to enter her when Spider-Man jumped on her roof. Yuri opens her door, but Spider-Man webs it shut, not allowing her to leave until they talk.

"You got something to say, Spider-Man?" asked Yuri.

"Yeah, I do," said Spider-Man. He jumps down from the car and says, "You have been acting crazy since we started working on this case. This was supposed to be a new chapter in _The Adventures of Spider-Cop and The Chief_. But it's more like _The Adventures of Spider-Man and the-crazy-police-captain-who-wants-to-shoot-everyone_."

"I'm a cop, Spider-Man. I'm just doing my job," said Yuri.

"No, non-lethal interrogation is doing your job. What you did with Jerry and then back there with Willy and Ron, it's not you," said Spider-Man. "What happened to the cop who trusted me to help her protect the city, the person who in spite of her faults still cares about doing the right thing? What did Tombstone do to you?"

The last question made Yuri's serious face break down for a second. But she knew he suspected something.

"We're partners, Yuri. Friends, even. We should trust each other with everything," said Spider-Man. "Okay, maybe I'm being hypocritical since I'm the one with the secret identity, but..."

"I'm the one who said I don't care who you are, remember?" Yuri reminded. "All I care about is what you do for this city."

"Then tell me what's bothering you, please," Spider-Man begged. "If you don't, then I'm just gonna go after Tombstone by myself. I know you want to meet him face-to-face, and I'm not gonna let that happen if you're gonna keep being a looser cannon than I am."

Yuri knows that Spider-Man will not get out of her face unless she tells him the truth.

"Before I was captain, I had a partner. His name was Teddy Rangel," said Yuri.

"Like a partner or like a _partner_?" asked Spider-Man.

"Both, actually," Yuri admitted. "I wasn't the only loose cannon cop when I was just an officer. Teddy also had the same reputation. He would break protocol to do what he feels is right or if someone pisses him off. I guess that's why we fell in love. We fed on each other's rebellious tendencies."

"Aw, that's so sweet," Spider-Man said, touched by the story.

"But we had to keep our relationship a secret. Our reputations were bad enough within the precinct," said Yuri. "But when we were working on a lead on Lincoln, we got caught in a shootout with him and his gang. Teddy was shot. Lincoln was standing right over him. I was forced to the back by another detective as I watched Teddy beg for his life. And what did Lincoln do? He broke his neck. No hesitation. No mercy."

"So, this about revenge?" Spider-Man realized.

"I want him behind bars, but this time, I want to look at him in the eye when I put the cuffs on him," said Yuri.

"Just promise me you'll aim for the legs and arms," said Spider-Man.

"I'm a cop. I can't make that promise," said Yuri.

* * *

It was time. Spider-Man vs. Tombstone, again. Only this time, Captain Yuri Watanabe is joining him on this fight. Yuri takes her car to Tombstone's chop shop while Spider-Man swings his way over there. On the way, Spider-Man thought he'd lighten the mood.

In his Spider-Cop voice, he started narrating. "Once again, the infamous Spider-Cop must face the deadly Tombstone, who is now less deadly since he's no longer jacked up on super strength steroids. Still deadly, though. But Spider-Cop is not alone. The Chief is now joining on this mission and as the old saying goes, two heads are better than one. With Spider-Cop's amazing outside-the-box thinking and spectacular powers, backed up by The Chief's itchy trigger finger and lust for revenge, Tombstone will either be spending a lifetime making tombstones or lie underneath one..."

 _Yuri sighs, annoyed, and says, "I know you're trying to keep me calm so I won't kill Lonnie, but you're not helping." Jokingly, she adds, "If anything, you're just making my trigger finger itch more."_

Spider- _Cop_ continues to narrate. "But despite his recklessness in the past, Spider-Cop is a man who looks out for his friends. The Chief need not be alone on this quest for vengeance. Spider-Cop will ensure justice is served and that The Chief remains the good, noble, honest..."

 _"We're here," Yuri interrupted._

Yuri parked her car one street away from Tombstone's chop shop. Spider-Man landed on the building across the place they were about to break into. Yuri made sure her gun was fully-loaded before entering.

"The moment has arrived," Spider-Man narrated. "Spider-Cop and The Chief versus the big, bad, ugly Tombstone. If you ask Spider-Cop, Tombstone needs a makeover."

"Let's go, Spider-Cop," said Yuri, feeling very annoyed. "Nearest backup is fifteen minutes away. Let's end this before time is up."

Spider-Man and Yuri enter the chop shop. Tombstone and five of his men were there packing up the supplies that they managed to keep hidden from the cops when Spider-Man last fought the big man.

"NYPD! Hands behind your head!" Yuri shouted.

Oddly enough, Tombstone did what Yuri said. He put his hands behind his head as he turned around to look at the police captain.

"Well, well, if it ain't the everyone's favorite bug and everyone's favorite police officer," said Tombstone.

"Hey, Tomb-y," Spider-Man greeted. "What's say we skip the fighting and go straight to the part where you go back to that cozy cell of yours at Ryker's? If you want, I'll ask them to make you some delicious clam chowder every day for breakfast."

"Oh, you know I don't go down without a fight," said Tombstone. "I prepared a little something in case you'd show up. Boys?"

One of Tombstone's men activated two bombs. They blow up and cause everyone to take cover. And the shooting begins. Yuri hides behind a crate to protect herself from gunfire. Spider-Man starts swinging around to avoid the bullets. He starts shooting webs at Tombstone and his men. He shoots electric web at Tombstone, a web bomb at Bikers #1 and #2, impact web at Biker #3, and a concussive blast at Bikers #4 and #5.

"Ah, that's what I like. A real fight," said Tombstone, fighting through the pain.

"I'm glad you're liking it," Spider-Man replied.

While Spider-Man focuses on Tombstone, who started throwing heavy objects at him like a crate and a cabinet, Yuri was shooting from behind the crate. She successfully shoots Bikers #1 and #4. Biker #5, however, rushes to a hiding spot while Yuri was hiding behind the crate. When she started shooting, Biker #5 prepares to take his shot.

"No! Yuri!" Spider-Man cried.

As Biker #5 fires, Spider-Man swoops in and carries Yuri out of the line of fire. Unfortunately, he gets shot on the shoulder, causing him to crash to the floor along with Yuri. Spider-Man manages to web a crate towards him to shield himself and Yuri from bullets.

"Grrr! Agh!" Spider-Man grunted in pain. "My girlfriend is not gonna be happy about this."

"You have a girlfriend?" Yuri questioned.

"You jealous?" Spider-Man teased.

"Maybe," Yuri joked.

Spider-Man applies webbing to his wound to ease the pain a little. He goes back to swinging around the place. Yuri continues to provide cover fire from the behind the crate. She shoots at Bikers #2 and #5. Biker #2 gets shot on the arm twice, while Biker #5 is killed with a bullet to the chest. With Biker #3 stuck to the wall thanks to the impact web, that just leaves Tombstone.

Spider-Man descends from above and stares down his opponent.

"Just you and me, web head," Tombstone said, excited for the one-on-one battle. "Hope you haven't lost some steam."

"Oh, I got plenty, baldy," said Spider-Man.

Tombstone charges at Spider-Man with his trusty sledgehammer. Spider-Man dodges the first three swings before firing another electric web at Tombstone. Just because Tombstone is no longer has impermeable skin, it doesn't mean that he's no longer virtually invulnerable. Before, hitting him is like trying to punch a boulder. Right now, hitting him is like trying to punch a smaller boulder. He shakes off the electric web and swings again. Spider-Man ducks from the swing and then fires web shots at Tombstone relentlessly.

Unfortunately, after ten seconds of struggling, Tombstone breaks free. He keeps on swinging, but Spider-Man was too fast.

"That's what I'm talkin' about," said Tombstone. "C'mon. Give me a real fight."

Spider-Man swings around as he lands hard punches on Tombstone's face. He dodges Tombstone's swings as he keeps punching him as fast and hard as he can. He even added some kicks for good measure. Spider-Man performs a mid-air spin and lands a very hard kick in the face, almost causing Tombstone to fall on his back. Unfortunately, Tombstone stayed on his feet.

"Aw, too bad. I wanted to yell timber," said Spider-Man.

"Having fun yet?" asked Tombstone, clearly enjoying this fight.

Spider-man webs a nearby empty oil barrel and throws it at Tombstone, barely damaging him. He managed to make him bleed, though. Tombstone didn't seem to mind.

"Like I said, mortality ups the thrill," said Tombstone.

Spider-Man webs a motorcycle and throws it at Tombstone, but he smashes it with his sledgehammer. Tombstone sees Yuri behind the crate and decides that having her there to cover for Spider-Man is unfair.

"I can't have anyone interrupting us," said Tombstone. "This is supposed to be a fair fight."

Tombstone throws his sledgehammer at Yuri. Once again, Spider-Man swings in the way. He gets hit straight in the mid-section as the sledgehammer smashes him to the wall. Feeling like his rib cage is gonna break if he moves, Spider-Man lies on the ground showing no signs of getting up any time soon. He grunts and whines as the pain in his chest and stomach was too much.

"Spider-Man! Spider-Man, are you okay?" Yuri asked, worried.

"Be-behind... you," Spider-Man said weakly.

Tombstone was walking towards the injured web crawler. Yuri aims her gun at Tombstone and shoots, but after putting two bullets into Tombstone's upper body, her gun clicks with the sound of an empty magazine. Tombstone shrugs off the pain of the two bullets as he walks closer towards Yuri.

"Y-Yuri," Spider-Man called, still sounding weak.

Spider-Man gives Yuri a web bomb. Yuri throws it at Tombstone. It blows up and knocks Tombstone down as well as tying him up in webs. Yuri picks up Henchman #1's rifle and aims it at Tombstone's head. She has a murder-y look on her face, one that Spider-Man didn't like and one that had Tombstone intrigued.

"For a second there, I thought you were just gonna cuff me," said Tombstone. "But it looks like you want more than just that."

"Teddy Rangel. Do you even remember him?" Yuri asked angrily.

"Oh, I remember. The biggest shootout of my career, and that one neck I broke is still fresh in my mind," said Tombstone. "Is that why you got that look on your face, honey? Was he your friend or something? Something more?"

Yuri gets angrier and looks like she was about to pull the trigger... until a certain talkative superhero spoke.

"Yuri, no," Spider-Man said as he tried to get up. "You don't want to do this."

"I can't let him just kill us and walk away," Yuri argued.

"Listen to yourself. That's not Yuri Watanabe, the cop who doesn't always play by the rules. That's how a killer sounds," said Spider-Man.

"Your choice, captain. Revenge over duty, or vise versa?" Tombstone asked daringly.

Yuri was struggling to make her choice. So, Spider-Man spoke again.

"I know you don't care about who I am, but I will tell you this," said Spider-Man. "I lost someone, too. Someone I care very much about. Someone who was like a father to me. Someone who was family to me. But I lost him. I became Spider-Man to look for his killer, but when I did, I couldn't do the unspeakable. I knew that the person I lost would hate me for what I'd became if I crossed that line. What about Teddy? Is this what he would want you to do?"

Yuri's trigger finger shakes as Spider-Man's words hit her right where it needed to hit her. In the end, she throws the rifle away.

Tombstone chuckles and says, "Once a cop, always a cop. Too bad. I was digging this dark side of you."

Spider-Man webs Tombstone's mouth shut and then webs him to the floor.

"You talk too much," Spider-Man joked, aware of the irony.

* * *

A few minutes later, backup arrived. Medics arrived as well. Yuri asked her officers to bring the medics just in case she or Spider-Man or both of them needed some patching up after the fight. Strangely, it was the superhero who got hurt really bad while Yuri looked hunky-dory. Spider-Man gets treated for his badly bruised mid-section as he watches Tombstone get arrested once again.

"My daughter's a big fan, by the way," said the medic taking care of Spider-Man.

"Does she want a selfie?" asked Spider-Man.

"Actually, yes," said the medic.

The medic takes out his phone and takes a selfie with Spider-Man to show to his daughter. Even though the medic didn't ask, Spider-Man signed his autograph on the medic's uniform. The medic just laughed it off. His daughter would love it, he thought.

"Hey," Yuri called. She looks at the medic and asks, "Can we have a minute?"

The medic left the police captain and the superhero alone. Spider-Man was able to regain more of his mobility. It's amazing how quickly he heals. A normal person would've died or be in a hospital for months after suffering what Spider-Man just suffered, but good thing he's not normal person.

"Thanks for saving me back there," said Yuri. "You took a bullet and a mallet for me."

"Hey, this city needs you. You're the best cop in town, Yuri," said Spider-Man. "Even though you did almost shoot Tombstone for your partner."

"I wasn't gonna shoot him because of Teddy," Yuri said.

"Huh?" Spider-Man was confused.

"I... I was gonna shoot him because he hurt you," Yuri admitted.

"I think my mask is about to be soaked with tears," Spider-Man said. He was touched and sounded like he was gonna cry.

"Are you gonna be okay?" asked Yuri.

"The doc says I may need to take a break," said Spider-Man. "And honestly, I can't argue. I feel like I've been kicked over and over again by a gang of bullies."

"Bullied in high school?" Yuri guessed.

"Something like that," said Spider-Man. "Well, I gotta go. I promised my girlfriend I'd be back for lunch."

"Before you go, I want to thank you," said Yuri.

"You already thanked me," said Spider-Man.

"I meant for convincing me to choose duty over revenge," said Yuri. "I can't deny that I've wanted to put a bullet in Tombstone's head since Teddy died, but I knew he wouldn't want that. He and I are occasional lawbreakers, but we're not murderers."

"You're welcome," said Spider-Man. "But still, maybe you want to promise grandkids for your grandma one day. You deserve happiness, Yuri."

"I have a job to do, Spider-Man," said Yuri. "You're lucky, but I'm not that lucky. I'm happy with just being able to keep this city safe... especially with you."

"Can we hug?" Spider-Man asked suddenly.

"Okay, don't make it weird," said Yuri.

"Well, it's been fun... and painful... but Spider-Cop's gotta go," said Spider-Man.

"Well, so long, Spider-Cop," said Yuri.

Spider-Man swings away. Yuri just smiled and thought about how lucky she is to have the spectacular Spider-Man as her new partner. He irritates her to no end, but his heroics more than make up for his childish and reckless behavior.

* * *

It was two minutes past 12 o'clock, but Peter finally returned to MJ's apartment. She had just finished making macaroni and cheese. As it turned, dessert was indeed an MJ-branded special. A chocolate sundae with peanut butter coating and sprinkles. Too bad he wasn't getting any because he had a hole on the shoulder of his suit that indicates a bullet wound.

"I heard about what happened with Tombstone," said MJ. "Are you okay?"

"Mostly," Peter said as he dropped on the couch. He takes his mask off and says, "Did you know Yuri had a secret boyfriend who is now dead?"

"Uh, no," said MJ.

"Well, she did," said Peter. "I'm honestly surprised."

MJ helps Peter sit up as she serves him mac n' cheese. After one bite, Peter can say that the mac n' cheese tasted as good as it smells. The two eat peacefully together as they watched the news report about Tombstone's capture. Yuri had to defend herself considering she kept Tombstone's escape a secret from the public.

"Too bad I'm not getting any dessert," Peter said, bummed.

Before MJ could say something, she watched Eddie Brock interview Yuri on TV.

 _"Cameras caught Spider-Man and he looked very injured," said Eddie. "What happened in there?"_

 _"What happened is that he saved my life," Yuri answered. "I would've been hurt or dead if he hadn't been there."_

MJ smiles as she grabs a bowl of her special dessert and gives it to Peter.

"Wait, are you serious?" Peter asked, surprised.

"You took a bullet for a friend. That earns you a reward," said MJ.

MJ kisses Peter. Now Peter couldn't tell whether the kiss or the dessert was the reward. Either one would suffice, although he really wanted to skip to dessert right now. So, he did. MJ just laughed.

 **Yuri's story here was more or less inspired by her story in the comics. I just made a few tweaks here and there, like with Teddy Rangel being her lover and not just her mentor. I'm sorry if Yuri was a little too dramatic here, but I tend to get quite dramatic and dark with my stories. Still, I tried my best to add the funny side to Spidey and Yuri's partnership. Their hilarious banter and dynamic were one of the best parts of the game. The Spider-Cop stuff was super funny. Kudos to Insomniac.**

 **So, what do you think?**


	2. Silver Tongue

**I was gonna save the story in this chapter for another time, but due to the alarming number of faves, follows, and reviews I received from the first chapter, I thought I'd make things more exciting. Thanks for the faves, follows and reviews, by the way. You all have motivated me to keep going. It really means a lot.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the first chapter: Killjoy funny man, Zombiedudecool, Big . Grey .Bird, commander ash, serpent1234, DiRunner**

 ** _To Killjoy funny man_: Yeah, Yuri and Spider-Man's dynamic is so much fun. #SpiderCop**

 ** _To Big . Grey . Bird_: You want more? Here's more. Thank you and you're welcome.**

 ** _To serpent1234_: Thanks for the compliment, and I will try to keep it up.**

On a regular afternoon in New York, Miles Morales was currently in Peter Parker's new apartment, admiring all of the Spider-Man suits that Peter owns. It's only been a few weeks since Peter revealed himself as Spider-Man, but Miles cannot stop fanboy-ing over everything Spider-Man. So many questions were in his head and Peter could only answer so much. Miles can empathize with Peter's motivation for being a superhero. Peter lost his Uncle Ben and he used Ben's words of wisdom ("With great power, comes great responsibility") to guide him. Miles was motivated by his deceased father's job as a police officer to become just like Spider-Man. Of course, Miles needed training first.

But back to the suits. Peter keeps them in labeled boxes so he'll always know which one is in which box. Miles came over because Peter wanted to train him, but he had to go and take care of a bank robbery first. Miles just stared in awe at Peter's awesome suits.

\- The Homemade Suit (why Peter still keeps it, Miles will never know).

\- The Stealth Suit (created for the purposes of, well, stealth).

\- The Electrically Insulated Suit (created to fight Electro).

\- The Velocity Suit (made with a cool glow-in-the-dark spider logo).

\- The Dark Suit (gifted to him by Black Cat).

\- The Anti-Ock Suit (which has been repaired since Spider-Man's last battle with Doctor Octopus).

\- The Stark Suit (made by Tony Stark).

\- The Iron Spider suit (also made Tony Stark).

It's too bad the Iron Spider suit is contained in a nanobot backpack that can only be activated upon being latched onto Peter Parker. Miles really wanted to see the Iron Spider suit close. Maybe he'll ask Peter to try it on. No way he'd say no, since they are now best buds after all.

Also, Miles can't wait to get his own suit. He's been sketching ideas for the past week. But of course, Peter advises him to be patient and calm. He needs time and training before he's ready. That and school and F.E.A.S.T.

Speaking of Peter, he just knocked on the window. Miles lets him in. Peter takes off his mask and sits down on Miles' bed.

"So, how'd the robbery go?" asked Miles.

"Six guys. All webbed up in a nice little bow for Yuri," Peter answered humorously.

"Man, I still don't know how you do it," said Miles.

"You'll find out one day, since I can't seem to stop you from pursuing a life as a superhero," said Peter.

"Dude, I have spider powers. I can't just do nothing with them," said Miles. "And my dad made a living helping people. I wanna be able to do the same, to make him proud."

"Well, I got good news," said Peter. "Today, we're training outside."

"Really?" Miles asked excitedly.

"I think you've outgrown training in a confined space," said Peter. "Besides, we've annoyed the neighbors a little too much with all the noise we've been making."

"So, am I ready to put on my prototype suit?" asked Miles.

"Don't worry, Miles. You'll get a real suit one day," Peter promised. "Besides, I wore a homemade suit when I started out. Took me a while before I could upgrade to a real super suit."

And so, Miles gets his own homemade suit. A black mask, a black sleeveless hoodie with a red spider painted on it, red sweats, and a cool-looking visor for sight. If he's gonna fight crime in a homemade suit, at least make the eyes look cool.

"I need a codename," said Miles. "Something like... Spider-Boy!"

"Uh... let's start with training first," said Peter, unsure about the codename.

* * *

Spider-Man and Miles head to Belvedere Castle for training. Mary Jane stationed herself on a rooftop overlooking Central Park. Equipped with her camera, binoculars, and some snacks, she made it her job to make sure the boys' training goes smoothly and uninterrupted. Also, who knows, there might a mugging or grand theft auto around the corner. MJ is on the job. Besides, it's a slow day at the Bugle.

Through his own binoculars, Spider-Man checks on MJ. Seeing him watching her, she gives him a thumbs-up.

 _"Area's clear. You two can have fun now," MJ reported through her phone._

"So, teach, what's today's lesson?" Miles asked, eager to get started.

"Well, today, it's time for you to try _these_ out," said Spider-Man, holding up two brand new web shooters.

"My very own web-shooters? So cool!" Miles said excitedly.

Miles puts on the web shooters. Spider-Man can tell that he must be smiling underneath the mask. Why wouldn't he? A lot of people out there would kill to put on web shooters and be like Spider-Man.

"Okay, let's start with basic target practice," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man puts two empty soda cans on the railing, twenty-five feet from Miles' position. Spider-Man demonstrates by making a successful web shot, knocking the can off the railing. Now, it was Miles' turn. Unfortunately, he missed his first five shots.

 _"Don't worry, Miles. Peter told me he didn't do so well when he started," MJ said reassuringly._

"You're letting the adrenaline get to you, man," said Spider-Man. "Just take it easy. Calm down. Not too calm, though, but calm. Just aim, breathe, and then shoot."

Miles takes a deep breath as he aims at the soda can. After taking his time, he fires again. He hits the can this time.

 _"Well done," said MJ._

"Okay, now let's move on to catching and pulling," said Spider-Man.

Retrieving the two empty cans (since it would be littering if he just left them), Spider-Man demonstrates how to grab objects using his webs. He webs his soda can and then pulls it towards his hand. Miles takes his shot. He missed the first shot, however, hitting a tree instead. So, Miles tries again. He successfully webs his soda can and then pulls it towards him. Unfortunately, the can ends up hitting him in the face.

"Ow!" Miles cried.

Despite knowing it's rude, MJ laughed uncontrollably (which the boys can hear through Peter's phone, which was on speakerphone). If it made Miles better, she'd do the same if it happened to Peter.

"That's okay, Miles. Like the old saying goes, at first you don't succeed..." Spider-Man said.

"Try again," Miles finished the saying.

And so, Miles tries again. Spider-Man puts the soda can back on the railing and waits for Miles to take his shot. Miles catches the soda can in his web and then pulls. It was about to hit him in the face again, until Miles caught it. Spider-Man applauds.

"You're getting the hang of it," said Spider-Man.

 _"Just try not to pull things towards your face, okay?" MJ joked._

"You're not gonna let me live that down, are you?" asked Miles.

 **MONTAGE TIME!**

Spider-Man decides to up the challenge by putting the soda cans on the roof of a pavilion and asks Miles to move a little further, increasing the distance to forty feet. The increased distance proved to be a challenge. It took Miles nine tries to hit the soda can. And it took him four tries to successfully grab the can from the and back to him. To MJ's amusement, Miles hit himself in the face in the first three failed snatch-and-pull attempts.

Next, Spider-Man teaches Miles rapid-fire web-shooting. He accidentally lost control and ended up webbing pretty much everything, including a couple pigeons. At this rate, MJ is gonna need a paper bag to breathe into after all this laughing.

Spider-Man brings back a garbage can and asks Miles to snatch the soda can from the pavilion roof and then throw it into the garbage can using a mid-air spin. Miles webs the soda can to him, jumps, spins, but ends up tossing the soda can high in the sky. The soda can hits a mugger in the head, which distracted him. It allowed a nearby police officer to arrest him and save the woman that was being mugged. MJ saw it and reported what happened.

Next, Spider-Man teaches Miles how to swing around, using the castle as a stepping stone. After seeing Spider-Man do it, Miles tried it himself. Spider-Man insisted starting low, but Miles wanted to try swinging higher distances. In the end, he ends up smacking right on the side of the castle. Cue laughter from MJ.

 **END OF MONTAGE!**

After an hour of training, Belvedere Castle was covered in webs. Miles was a little exhausted. Spider-Man trained him to do mid-air webbing, web-zipping himself towards a target, and trying out Spider-Man's web bomb. The results ended in either webbing more pigeons, a balloon flying away, and Miles hitting himself in the face. And as you guessed it, MJ couldn't control her laughter.

"So, coach, how'd I do?" asked Miles.

"Well, I'd give you an A for effort and a C+ for overall performance," said Spider-Man.

"Well, at least it's not a C-," Miles said positively.

 _"You'll be an A-level hero some day, Miles," said MJ. "Just be sure to never forget why you have these powers."_

"To be a hero," said Miles.

"Okay, let's go home," said Spider-Man.

"Wait, don't I get to at least try this on some bad guys?" asked Miles. "I mean, I told you guys about how I punched that Ryker inmate after I escaped Rhino. And now I have powers. I can do this."

"No way. You're going home. You got homework and a job at F.E.A.S.T. to take care of," said Spider-Man.

"C'mon, Pete. Just one. Something small. I promise I'll do what you say," Miles begged.

 _"Well, according to the crime towers, there's another mugging just two blocks away," said MJ. "Good news, they don't own guns."_

"Fine, but just one," said Spider-Man. "Let's go... Spider-Boy."

"Does it really sound that bad?" Miles asked, thinking that Spider-Man doesn't like the codename.

Spider-Man picks up his phone to turn it off, only to receive an anonymous text message. Odd, he thought. He doesn't need his Spider Senses to tell him that this could be bad news. Regardless, he had to know what's on the message. Better to approach a problem rather than avoid it. The message says:

 _Wilson Fisk's Shipyard at Portside, now!_

"Who's it from?" asked Miles.

"Doesn't say," said Spider-Man. "Okay, change of plans, we stop the mugging and then head to the Statue of Liberty."

 _"Hey, bring me with you," said MJ. "No way are you going there without me."_

"And me?" Miles asked hopefully.

"Well, I need as much backup as I can get, in case this is a trap," said Spider-Man.

* * *

After Spider-Man and Miles stopped the mugging, they swing their way to a shipyard at Portside to meet with the person who sent Spider-Man the message. Spider-Man carries MJ as he swings across Manhattan. Miles, on the other hand, while he was definitely getting the hang of swinging, he still in a bit of a learning curve. He almost crashed into a moving car for trying some mid-air 360s. So, Spider-Man told him to swing closer to the ground and to stay near the sidewalk.

Along the way, they listen to J. Jonah Jameson's latest broadcast on his talk show, Just The Facts.

 _"It has come, folks. Our worst fears have been realized," said Jameson. "I'm getting reports that Spider-Man has been seen at Central Park, but he didn't show up alone. As if one costumed menace wasn't enough, he's got ANOTHER masked lunatic by his side. And according to my sources, it seems that Spider-Man is training this newbie. So, apparently, Spider-Man has a sidekick now. We don't have one spider-themed vigilante in our city anymore. We have two! TWO! What is this poor sap in that black homespun costume thinking? Prancing around New York with Spider-Man as, what, Spider-Boy?" Jameson paused for a second. "This is a NIGHTMARE come true, people. What if Spider-Man is planning to amass a spider army? Think of all the DESTRUCTION, the MAYHEM, a city covered in webs..." Jameson paused again due to the feeling of horror. "JARED, GO TO COMMERCIAL! I need to lie down... and call my doctor... and my son... and my wife... and Officer Andrew."_

"Don't you ever want to sock that know-it-all in the jaw?" Miles asked, bothered by the way Jameson talks about his mentor.

"Hey, don't worry. One of these days, he'll say something 100% nice about me. You'll see," Spider-Man said confidently.

"I honestly doubt that," said MJ.

Soon enough, the three buddies (they really need a team name or something) made it to the shipyard as it got really dark. The front door to the warehouse was surprisingly open.

"Okay, everyone be quiet," Spider-Man whispered. "For all we know, there could be a guy in a hockey mask with a giant bloody blade waiting to ambush us."

"Those movies are horrifying," said Miles, knowing what Spider-Man was referencing to.

"What's the point of being quiet if our whispers echo in here?" MJ whisper-shouted.

MJ uses the stun gun she stole from Norman Osborn's apartment building as a weapon as she keeps an eye out for danger. The three split up to cover more ground. The place may seem empty, but someone is here, alright. Spider-Man and Miles can sense it. They just don't know who or where yet.

"Check the secret rooms in the shipping containers," said Spider-Man.

MJ checked the container on the first floor. Spider-Man checked the container on the second floor. Miles checks the beams above in case of an ambush from above.

"Anything?" asked Miles.

"Spider Scanner's picking up nothing," said Spider-Man.

"Isn't there a secret vault here where Fisk stored weapons?" asked MJ.

"Well, the secret passageway is covered in rubble, so we're just gonna have to take the longer route," said Spider-Man.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man, MJ, and Miles checked the rest of the shipyard. As they walked towards the secret vault, they remained alert for any ambushes. They heard something behind a forklift. They get into their battle positions... only to discover that the sound came from a couple of pigeons. They just flew away.

"Whew," Spider-Man sighed with relief. "Hey, pigeons! I have a friend named Howard. He'll take care of you. Just look for an old man with a pigeon family."

Suddenly, both the Spider-Senses of Miles and Spider-Man alerted them to danger.

"7 o'clock!" Miles said.

Miles turns around and runs towards where he sensed the danger.

"Miles, wait!" Spider-Man called.

Jumping down from above is... Silver Sable? She fires both her energy pistols and hits Miles straight in the chest. Miles drops to the ground in pain as Silver keeps her guns trained on him. MJ shields Miles while Spider-Man gets in between his friend and the silver-haired princess.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Easy there, Silver Bells. He's a friend," said Spider-Man.

"Well, your friend should know better than to blindly run towards danger," said Silver. She kindly puts her guns away. "So, training a protege, I see? Good. It takes more than one man to save an entire city."

"Lady, you shot me," Miles said, ticked off.

"Let that be a lesson then. Even if you're expecting danger, don't be so eager to engage," said Silver.

"Okay, let's skip the lessons and go straight to the part where I ask you, why did you contact me?" asked Spider-Man. "And how did you even get my new number?"

"I have my ways," Silver said casually.

"Um, hello," MJ greeted awkwardly. "We haven't been properly introduced. I'm..."

"Mary Jane Watson. Born April 14, 1995 at Montoursville, Pennsylvania. Former student at Midtown High. Associate Editor of the Daily Bugle," Silver interrupted, having done her research on MJ.

"Oh, uh... okay," MJ replied, unsure of how to respond.

"I'm assuming there's a team of Sable agents around ready to neutralize me," Spider-Man guessed.

"If there were, you would've found them already," said Silver. "No, I'm here alone."

"Why?" asked Spider-Man.

"Let's speak of this matter somewhere more private," said Silver.

* * *

Silver takes Spider-Man, MJ, and Miles through the back door that leads to the secret vault that was once Wilson Fisk's armory. Sable turned it into her own private base. The vault now holds Sable's weapons and equipment. One of them is a state-of-the-art computer that contains all of Sable International's information.

"How do you get wi-fi down here?" Spider-Man joked.

Silver didn't answer him.

"Can I borrow some of this stuff?" MJ asked, admiring the energy pistols.

"No," Silver replied bluntly.

"Rude," MJ commented.

"Whoa, is this a frequency jammer?" Miles asked, admiring a certain piece of tech.

"Don't touch that," said Silver.

"I'm just saying, it looks cool," said Miles.

"Okay, your majesty, just what the heck is going on here?" Spider-Man asked, curious and impatient.

"I'm a fugitive from my own country," Silver answered. "After Octavius was imprisoned, my men returned to Symkaria where I wanted to discuss changes for Sable International. Thanks to you, Spider-Man, I wanted Sable International to be a force motivated by justice, not by money. Half of them were not so pleased with my change of heart, so they rebelled against me. Worse, a mercenary calling himself Taskmaster manipulated the renegades and recruited them to defy me. Apparently, someone has put a bounty on my head and he wants to claim it. The traitors agreed only to claim Sable International's resources for themselves. They tried to assassinate me in my sleep. They killed most of my loyal agents, but I managed to escape."

"And you came all the way here to New York to see me? Aw, how sweet," Spider-Man said half-sarcastically, half-sweetly.

"But aren't you the princess of Symkaria?" asked Miles.

"My position does not matter. My men and this Taskmaster are willing to risk national unrest just to claim the bounty on me," said Silver.

"How much are they willing to pay?" asked Spider-Man.

"In U.S. currency, seven figures," Sable answered.

"Wow. That is _a lot_ of money," MJ reacted.

"So, what does this have to do with Spider-Man?" asked Miles.

Silver turns on her computer and shows the three (... Spider-Buddies? What do you think?) a new wanted target with a huge bounty on his head. A $50,000,000 "dead or alive" reward.

"There's a bounty on my head?!" Spider-Man exclaimed.

"I set up the bounty," Silver confessed.

"What?!" Spider-Man, MJ, and Miles reacted.

"I thought we were friends," said Spider-Man. "Wait, you actually think I'm worth eight figures? I don't know whether to be flattered or scared."

"I need an unorthodox method to win back the loyalty of my men," said Silver. "Taskmaster knows I'm here, and with you in the city and the bounty promised for your head, he'll come for both of us."

"And you're counting on that?" MJ questioned.

"My men will think I will be hunting Spider-Man down in order to prove that I second-guessed my choice to change Sable International," said Silver. "But if you can prove to them that justice is more honorable than money, they will be loyal to me again."

"Whoa, I am not risking innocent lives just so you can get back on your throne, your highness," said Spider-Man.

"He's right. There's gonna be a war on the streets and people will get hurt or killed," said MJ.

"You clearly still have a lot to learn about justice, Sable," said Spider-Man. "But we don't use innocent people as bait. We protect them, keep them out of harm's way, and that is it."

"I... I..." Silver paused, appearing disgusted by herself. "I am sorry. I was not thinking clearly."

"Hey, it's okay. I get it. You lost your kingdom and you want it back," Spider-Man said sympathetically. "It's human to act irrational when we're desperate."

"I am not used to feeling this hopeless before," Silver said somberly. "Exiled. Hunted. Alone."

Spider-Man faces his friends and says, "Guys, why don't you go home? Sable and I can discuss strategy here. I'll call you when we're ready for action."

"You sure you want us to leave you alone with her?" asked MJ.

"Don't worry about me. She and I are friends," said Spider-Man. "Right, Sable?"

"True, we are," said Sable.

"Just be careful, Spider-Man," MJ said, concerned. "We're trusting you to trust her to save the city. Just don't risk your own life for our sake... or hers. We need you."

And with that, MJ and Miles depart. This just leaves Spider-Man and Silver Sable alone in the vault. Silver definitely looked hopeless, which is odd considering how brash, dauntless, and no-nonsense she usually is. Spider-Man genuinely felt bad for her. He felt a little guilty, though. Sure, he had no regrets in his part on Silver desiring to change her ways, but it was because of the decision to change her ways that led her to this moment.

"I'm really sorry, Sable," said Spider-Man.

"No, it is I who must apologize," said Silver. "I could've gone anywhere. I chose to come here. I risked your city just to pursue my selfish goal."

"Hey, wanting your kingdom back from traitors and a psycho mercenary is not selfish," said Spider-Man.

"All I wanted was a change in direction, to become more than just a terrorist pretending to be a soldier," said Silver.

"Hey, hey, you're not a terrorist," said Spider-Man. "More like an android programmed to carry out her duties without question. But now, you've breaking through your programming and you're becoming more human now."

Spider-Man didn't expect much of a reaction from Silver, but her reaction was unexpected. She smiled. Not some mocking smile or a smile that indicates a sign of future wrongdoing. A genuine smile.

"You're smiling. Why are you smiling?" Spider-Man asked, feeling kinda nervous. "Oh, wait. Do you actually think I'm funny?"

"I did say I would miss your bizarre witticisms," Silver reminded. "I have no regrets saying such a thing."

"Well, get ready, 'cause there's plenty more where that came from," said Spider-Man. "But getting back to the matter at hand, please tell me you have a Plan B that doesn't involve getting anyone killed."

"Very well," Silver said casually. "I do indeed have a backup plan. Follow me."

Silver walks towards the fenced off room and opens the wire mesh gate. She lets Spider-Man inside first. Once he was inside, Silver suddenly slammed the gate shut. She quickly activated a defense system in the form of a force field blocking the gate. When Spider-Man tried to punch the force field, it directed his punch back at him.

Silver quickly heads to her computer and sends a message to the NYPD.

"What's going on, Sable?" asked Spider-Man.

"I'm sorry, Spider-Man, but this is the only way I can reclaim the loyalties of my agents," said Silver. "I just informed your police captain that there's a bomb inside Osborn's apartment building. If Captain Watanabe does not bring me Spider-Man in one hour, I will detonate it and bury Osborn once and for all..."

"Along with hundreds of innocent people," Spider-Man added. "Whatever happened to my actions giving you pause?"

"I'm sorry," Silver apologized with a regretful look in her eyes.

Silver quickly leaves with the detonator. Spider-Man keeps pounding on the force field, but all that's doing is hurting himself. Taking a deep breath, he realizes that he can hack the security system and deactivate the force field. Miles copied his hacking program into Peter and MJ's phones for them to use just in case. So, Spider-Man used Miles' hacking program. Unfortunately, it didn't work. He tried hacking the system nine more times, but it still won't work.

He had to call MJ and Miles, so he did. He contacted them through MJ's phone.

 _"Hey, Peter," MJ greeted. "Sable just got past us on a motorcycle. Where are you?"_

"She locked me up in the vault," said Spider-Man. "She's planning on detonating a nuke at Norman Osborn's apartment building in an hour. She's using a remote detonator. We have to stop her."

 _"You and MJ each have a copy of my hacking program. Why don't you use that?" Miles said._

"I did," said Spider-Man. "Sable must've found out somehow about you hacking her drones months ago and upgraded her tech. Just get back in here and help met get out."

 _"But someone has to go after Sable in case we don't get you out in time," said MJ._

"Don't worry. Yuri's on it. I trust her," said Spider-Man.

 _"I can't take that chance. I have to try and intercept her and keep her from using the detonator," said MJ. "Miles, you go back to the vault and free Peter."_

Miles rushes back inside the vault to hack into Silver's security system manually. MJ, meanwhile, attempts to intercept Silver to make sure she never steal the detonator away from her. She takes a cab and tells the driver to pick the fastest route to Norman Osborn's apartment building.

Miles links his phone to Silver's computer in an attempt to hack into her security system. He started typing away and trying to break through the firewalls that guard the deactivation code to the force field that is keeping Spider-Man locked. Unfortunately, Silver's upgrades prove to be too much even for someone of Miles' hacking talents. After fifteen minutes of hacking, his program has infiltrated only 25% of the system, which is more than not enough. He needs to infiltrate the entire system. 100%.

"Can you hack any faster?" Spider-Man complained.

"Dude, I'm trying," said Miles. "But seriously, I can't believe I'm losing to a Symkarian princess."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN** **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Meanwhile, Silver was not letting stop signs get in the way of her getting to Norman's apartment building in time to detonate the bomb. Fortunately, MJ found a shortcut using a mapping app on her phone as she told the cab driver where to turn. MJ gets off the cab when she sees an opportunity to intercept Silver. Standing in between two people to hide herself, she waits until Silver was at the the right.

And just as Silver was about to race past her, MJ pushes the two people aside and jumps at Silver, pushing her off her motorcycle. The two ladies tumbled across the road. Right now, all eyes were on both of them. Cars stopped or steered away when they saw them just standing there, staring each other down.

"Give me the detonator," MJ demanded.

"You're gonna have to fight for it, Ms. Watson," said Silver.

MJ draws her stun gun and determinedly says, "Bring it on."

MJ makes the first move, but Silver dodges her stun gun easily. Silver grabs MJ's arm, chops the gun off her hand, and then kicks her down to the ground with grace. Silver takes the stun gun with her.

"Do you even have a license for this weapon, young lady?" Silver quipped.

"You sound like Spider-Man," MJ commented, slightly amused.

"His sense of humor is quite contagious... in a surprisingly pleasant way," Silver said with a little smile.

Silver grabs her motorcycle, moves it back to a standing position, gets back on it, and continues her high-speed ride towards Norman's apartment building. All MJ can do now is get up and get off the road before she gets run over.

"Pleasant? What does she mean by _pleasant_?" MJ wondered suspiciously.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN** **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Back at the vault at the shipyard, Miles is still trying to hack into Silver's security system. His progress is now up to 30%, but it's still more than not enough. Miles checks the clock and sees that he only has thirty minutes left until Silver detonates the bomb.

"We're running out of time," said Miles. "I have to go out there and help MJ."

"You're not going out there without me," said Spider-Man. "You can do it, Miles. I know you can."

"I don't know if I can!" Miles said, starting to feel hopeless. "And even I could, Osborn and all those people will be dead by then. I have to get out there."

"This isn't a simple mugging, Miles. It's you versus Silver Sable, Taskmaster, and lots of Sable agents," said Spider-Man. "Powers or no powers, Sable will kick your butt. Heck, she kicked my butt. And all it took was one kick. And it wasn't even on the butt. Point is, like she said, you can't just rush into danger all willy-nilly."

"Well, it's hard for me to heed her word considering the circumstances," said Miles. "Please, Pete. I know I'm still a rookie. I know I got a lot to learn. But there are lots of people out there who are counting on us. Us. Not just you."

"I know that, Miles," said Spider-Man.

Miles takes off his mask and asks, "So, can you trust me? Can you trust me to be... to be Spider-Boy?"

"The name still needs work," said Spider-Man. "But I trust you, Miles. I believe in you. Just remember, kid. Don't get cocky."

Spider-Man and Miles share a brief laugh, understanding the reference. Miles pounds his chest twice and then nods at Spider-Man with respect. Spider-Man did the same, wishing him luck.

* * *

Yuri and fifteen police officers arrived at Norman Osborn's apartment building to locate the bomb and the person who sent them the message about the bomb. The people at the lobby were stricken with fear at the sight of the police bursting in like something bad is about to happen. Yuri approaches the receptionist with her badge in her hand.

"We're here to see Norman Osborn," said Yuri.

"He's at the penthouse," said the receptionist.

"Your three, come with me. The rest of you, stay here," Yuri ordered.

Three officers joined Yuri in the elevator to Norman's penthouse. Seven stayed in the lobby. Five remained outside to keep an eye out for anything.

Suddenly, one officer outside drops unconscious. Two of the other four went to see if he was okay. He wouldn't wake up. The reason behind the unconscious officer's state is hiding under a police car. Silver Sable. She rolls out from under the car, made sure everyone's attention is away from the front door, and then sneaks her way inside. She uses the crowd to hide, even though her silver hair and silver clothing should be a dead giveaway. Good thing Wilson Fisk's vault has some useful toys. Using a flashbang grenade, she distracts everyone in order to sneak into the maintenance hall.

Inside the janitor's closet (accessed only by the stolen key that Silver has), underneath a large white sheet is the nuclear bomb. Silver was glad that MJ's interference didn't stall her long enough for the police to find it.

"Twenty-three minutes, Spider-Man. I do hope you make it here in time," said Silver.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN** **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Meanwhile, back in the vault, Spider-Man is just passing the time by playing 2Fuse on his phone. He just hoped that Miles and MJ can stop Sable and Taskmaster before they destroy the city. Norman may not be the saint he once portrayed himself to be, but he doesn't deserve to die, not when all he wanted is to save his son Harry from a terminal illness. The only chance Peter has to ever see his best friend again is through Norman.

Suddenly, the force field that was blocking the gate just disappeared. Odd. There was no one in the vault to deactivate Silver's security system.

"Is this some kind of joke, Sable?" Spider-Man asked humorously. "Because if it is, it's not funny."

Deciding to ponder about the force field's sudden deactivation later, Spider-Man opens the gate and quickly makes his way to Norman's apartment building.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN** **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

In Norman's apartment building, Norman is growing annoyed of the NYPD's presence in his penthouse. They forced him to sit down on the couch while they made sure the area is secure. When Norman tried to get up, he was forced back down on the couch.

"This is ridiculous," said Norman. "I have no time for this, Captain."

"A bomb is about to go off," Yuri reminded. "I don't know about you, but I think I prefer to keep everyone in this building alive. That include you too."

"How do we know this isn't just some childish prank?" Norman wondered. "I mean, who tells the police they're gonna blow up a place instead of just doing it discreetly?"

"I don't know, but we can't take any chances, not when lives are at risk," said Yuri.

After getting out of earshot, Yuri tries contacting Spider-Man again. She tried calling him earlier (thirteen times), but something was blocking her. But she had to try again. She and her men couldn't find the bomb or the one who owned the bomb. She needed all the help she can get.

 _"Hi, this is your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Leave a message after the beep. Beep..."_

Yuri sighs, annoyed, and says, "That's you, isn't it?"

 _Spider-Man laughed, amused with himself. "Okay, you got me. Man, I really need to work on my beeps."_

"Listen, there's a bomb about to go off at Norman Osborn's apartment building in thirteen minutes," said Yuri. "Whatever you're doing right now, drop it. We need you here, right now."

 _"I'm on my way, actually," said Spider-Man. "And I know who rigged the bomb. It's Sable."_

"Silver Sable?" Yuri replied, surprised. "She's back?"

 _"A nutty mercenary called Taskmaster turned her men against her and is using them to hunt her down," said Spider-Man. "Long story, but you have to find Sable. She could be there already."_

"How soon can you get here?" asked Yuri.

 _"Just find her, quick!" Spider-Man said urgently._

Unfortunately, Yuri's search for Sable will have to wait. Someone just burst into the penthouse. Seven Sable agents, led by Taskmaster. Yuri was forced to put her hands up by one Sable agent who spotted her at the balcony. She walked back inside as instructed.

"The ex-Mayor Norman Osborn. Pleasure to meet you," said Taskmaster.

"And who are you?" asked Norman.

"Who I am is not the topic of discussion," said Taskmaster. "We're looking for Sable."

"Well, I don't know where she is, so get the hell out of my apartment," said Norman.

Taskmaster points his sword as Norman and threateningly says, "Now, now, that's no way to treat a guest, Osborn."

"Speaking of guests..."

Everyone's heads turned towards where those words came from. With her two energy pistols raised and her fingers on the trigger, Silver Sable walks into the room with a vengeance.

"Where's the rest of my men, Taskmaster?" Silver Sable demanded.

"I prefer to keep this discreet," said Taskmaster. "The rest are outside there, blending with the crowd and patrolling the area."

"You trespass on my country, turn my men against me, risk disorder in Symkaria, all just to claim this bounty on my head," Silver said with anger.

"And to give these men a chance to do what they want. They weren't exactly thrilled with the idea of Sable International being a Samaritan's club," said Taskmaster.

"You know nothing of what I had planned," said Silver. "But, as the Americans say, here's the kicker. Spider-Man has a bounty of his head as well. The reward for his death or capture is worth more than mine. He's coming here right now, and I intend to collect."

"So, you think killing the spider will help you win your men back? How pathetic," Taskmaster replied.

"Who knows? Maybe my men's betrayal has me second-guessing," Silver said in a half-humorous, half-sarcastic tone.

"You're starting to sound like him," said Taskmaster.

Suddenly, Taskmaster's blade was webbed, along with the faces of all the Sable agents. People were expecting Spider-Man, but instead, they got Miles Morales.

"Who are you?" asked Yuri.

"Just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Boy," said Miles.

"Really?" Yuri questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Miles swings down to kick Taskmaster, and succeeds in doing so. He then webs him up before he could recover. Miles web-zips himself towards Taskmaster and kicks him down to the floor. Taskmaster lies down as he struggled to break free of the young hero's webs.

"Why don't you go ahead and lie down for this one?" Miles quipped. He then cursed himself for poor effort, saying, "Man, I gotta work on that."

"Get out of here, young one," said Silver. "This does not concern you."

"Hey, I just want the detonator," said Miles. "Would it help if I say _please_?"

Silver responds by aiming her pistols at Miles, warning him to get out of her way. Miles fires two web shots in an attempt to web the pistols away from her, but Silver quickly attacks with a graceful butterfly kick to the face, kicking Miles down to the floor. Silver aims her guns at him again, threatening to shoot him if he doesn't stay down.

"You kicked my butt... with one kick... and not even on the butt," Miles said, struggling to speak with a slightly injured jaw. Now he knows how Spider-Man felt when he got kicked by Silver.

Before any movement can be made, Yuri quickly draws her gun and aims at Silver.

"Put the guns away, Sable," Yuri ordered.

As Yuri and Silver reached a stalemate, Taskmaster finally breaks free of Miles' webbing. Miles web-zips himself towards Taskmaster to kick him again, only to get kicked down to the floor. Taskmaster rips the webs off his sword and charges at Miles. Miles dodges Taskmaster's swings and lands a few punches to his face. Miles webs the ceiling and zips himself up a few feet, back-flip-kicking Taskmaster as he did.

"Woo! I am loving these things," Miles said, admiring the web shooters again.

Miles was too busy celebrating that he failed to react to Taskmaster's counter. He did the exact same back-flip kick Miles did to him, only without using anything to gain some levity.

"Hey, don't copy me. That's cheating," said Miles.

While Miles and Taskmaster duke it out, Silver approaches one of her men. She pins him to the wall with her gun aimed at his webbed face.

"Money over loyalty? You are all a disgrace to the uniform," said Silver.

"And what are you offering?" The Sable agent questioned.

"You'll find out," said Silver.

Silver whacks the agent in the face with her pistol. She turns her attention back to Taskmaster, who is still fighting Miles. Taskmaster dodges Miles' punches before countering with a swift kick to the face. Before Taskmaster could kill Miles, Silver shoots his sword off his hand.

"Next shot goes through your head," Silver threatened. "Call my men off, now."

"Really? You're the one trying to kill all the people in this building," said Taskmaster. "We save Osborn and everyone, and we get rewarded."

"Whatever your superiors are paying, I'll double it. Just leave me alone," Norman offered.

"Tempting, but we'll discuss it after Sable surrenders," said Taskmaster.

Silver shoots at Taskmaster as she runs towards him. He shields himself from the energy blasts as he prepares for her to make her move. Silver jumps and lands a spin kick to his face, followed by roundhouse kick to the neck. Taskmaster ends up stumbling towards a table filled with priceless vases, breaking them accidentally.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Take it outside!" Norman shouted.

"Oh, just buy a new one," Yuri retorted.

Miles webs up all of the Sable agents while Silver takes care of Taskmaster.

Silver dodges Taskmaster's sword swings and kicks him in the face again. She leaps and then kicks him in the chest with both feet. Sable lands on her back, but smoothly springs herself back on her feet, wowing Miles. Silver puts her guns away and opts for hand-to-hand combat. It feels more personal that way. Taskmaster blocked her high kicks, but couldn't dodge a swift butterfly kick to the schnoz, followed by graceful spin kick that knocks him down. Anticipating her moves, Taskmaster blocks her next kick, grabs her leg, and then throws her across the room. Taskmaster throws electric bolas at her, tying her up. Silver drops to her knees and cries out in pain as the bolas shock her system non-stop.

"You're quite the fighter," Taskmaster complimented. "You've earned my respect."

Miles was about to web him, but Taskmaster throws electric bolas at him too. Now, Miles can't move and the bolas' electric energy was not helping. Strangely, though, the electricity didn't hurt as much as it should. And it looked like his fingers were absorbing the energy like some kind of absorption power.

Taskmaster prepares to finish the job, turning towards Silver with his photogenic sword.

"What exactly were you trying to accomplish? You put yourself in the very building you are trying to destroy," Taskmaster wondered.

Silver just smirked.

Suddenly, Taskmaster's sword was webbed off his hands. The original wall crawler is here. Spider-Man. After webbing the sword to the ceiling, Spider-Man jumps down from above, shoots webs at Taskmaster rapidly, throws him up in the air and then slams him down to the floor. Taskmaster breaks free of the web coat and retrieves his sword with his grapple device.

"Still remember my moves, skull face?" asked Spider-Man.

"That and so much more," said Taskmaster.

Spider-Man makes the first move. He swiftly lands two strong punches as he moved left and right, finishing the move with a spin kick to the face. Taskmaster then performed the same move, punching Spider-Man twice in a swift motion before kicking him in the face with a spin kick.

Spider-Man smacks Taskmaster into the air, back-flips, catches his head in between his feet, and then web-zips himself down, smashing Taskmaster's face on the floor. Taskmaster gets up and smacks Spider-Man in the air, back-flips, and then drags his face to the ground with his boots.

"You just wait until I find a good lawyer, buddy," Spider-Man quipped. "Oh, wait. I do know a lawyer." He remembered Matt Murdoch, the blind lawyer who gave him his card.

Spider-Man webs Taskmaster's face, launches himself in the air, grabs his head in between his knees, and then back-flips to smash the masked mercenary down to the floor. Taskmaster recovers quickly as he jumps up, grabs Spider-Man's head with his knees, and then back-flips to smash the web head's face to the floor.

"That's it. I've had enought of this copy/paste routine," Yuri said, annoyed with the fight (mostly because of Taskmaster's copycat behavior).

Before the fight can continue, Taskmaster gets shot by Yuri. This gives Spider-Man the chance to win. He webs up Taskmaster and throws him against the wall with force, gluing him there.

Spider-Man helps Miles and Silver out of the bolas.

MJ showed up, only to be held back by an officer. She wasn't gonna leave, however, as she shoved the officer aside and approached Yuri.

"Get out of here, kid," said Yuri.

"I just need a few pictures for the Bugle," MJ said, holding up her camera. In truth, she just wanted to check on Miles and Spider-Man.

"Silver wants the bounty on your head, Spider-Man, and you want to save her?" Taskmaster questioned the wall-crawler.

"Friend or foe, I'm not risking lives," said Spider-Man. "Why did you think she's in this position in the first place?"

Silver's ex-agents heard this and pondered over it.

Silver, unexpectedly, punches Spider-Man in the face and then pulls out the detonator to the bomb, preparing to push the button. Miles, Yuri, and the police were all about to make a move, but Spider-Man told them not to do anything and let him handle it.

"We defeated Taskmaster. It's over. All we can do now is round up all of your rogue agents and talk some sense into them," said Spider-Man.

"No, you're out of time," said Silver. "I am leaving now. I'm going to watch the destruction of this building from a safe distance, and then I'll show the rest of my men what happens when they cross me."

"It doesn't have to go down like this, Sable," said Spider-Man.

"My name is Silver," Silver said.

"Okay... Silver," Spider-Man said calmly. "You really want to prove you can set a good example for your boys? Then give me the detonator and tell me where the bomb is."

"You would save me even after I threatened everyone in this building?" asked Silver.

"You told me you wanted to reflect on the life you chose," Spider-Man reminded. "Then this is your chance to show me that you have. You're a good person, Silver, I can tell. You want to prove to your agents that your new path is the better path, then stop this."

Silver slowly hands over the detonator as her face becomes covered in regret. She then gives him the janitor's keys.

"Maintenance hall. Third door," said Silver. "Go."

Spider-Man quickly heads down to the ground floor and finds the janitor's closet in the maintenance hall. Using the key, he unlocks the door and sees the big bomb. He carefully accesses the core, only to discover that...

"There's nothing here," Spider-Man said, feeling very confused. "Why threaten to blow a building with a bomb that doesn't even work?"

* * *

Taskmaster and the rogue Sable agents are taken into custody. As far as the media is concerned, it's Taskmaster who planted the bomb in the building, not Silver Sable. Thank Spider-Man for that lie. Speaking of Spider-Man, he is currently at Norman's penthouse balcony with Yuri, Silver, Miles, and MJ. MJ had to get a brief interview from Yuri for the Bugle.

"... and so I can confirm that Taskmaster is the mastermind behind the bombing attempt on Norman Osborn's apartment building," Yuri finished.

"Thank you," said MJ, having recorded Yuri's message.

"I hope this doesn't come back to bite us in the butt," Yuri hoped.

"Hey, it's for the best," said Spider-Man. "Except for one little thing..." He looks at Silver and asks, "Why did you plant a bomb that won't even blow up?"

Silver just smirked at him.

"Unless... you wanted me to think it was real," Spider-Man realized.

"If you thought the danger was real, your actions and words would be genuine in the eyes of my agents," said Silver.

"So, it was all a trick?" asked Miles.

"It was an unorthodox method to persuade my men to rethink their betrayal," said Silver. "I needed Taskmaster to find me so I can end him and his hunt, but I also needed to show my agents why Spider-Man has inspired me to change my ways."

"You're lucky Spider-Man is asking me to cover for you, Sable. Otherwise, you'd be sitting in a cell at Ryker's, princess or not," said Yuri.

"So, did it work?" asked MJ. "Are the Sable agents reconsidering their loyalties?"

"I will take care of them myself," said Silver. "Right now, I believe we have one more thing to clear up. Thanks to you, Ms. Watson, all of New York knows of my presence here."

"Hey, you wanted us to think the bomb was real. You can't blame me for trying to stop you," said MJ.

"So, you're one of Spider-Man's _best people_ , I'm assuming?" Yuri asked the redhead.

"Uh..." MJ now felt awkward for barging in earlier.

"Hey, I won't tell," Yuri promised. "Just be sure to stay out of the fire next time, kid."

"Trust me, Yuri. Ms. Watson here can be more stubborn than the stubbornest person in the world," said Spider-Man.

"Sneaking into Osborn's penthouse while I was on patrol, she certainly is as intrepid as she is stubborn," said Silver. "I can respect that."

"Well... thanks," said MJ.

"I must go now," said Silver. "Now that Taskmaster has been dealt with, I can return to Symkaria and train new recruits for Sable International, those who are motivated by a sense of justice, not greed."

"Well, good luck," said Miles.

"But first," said Silver.

Silver walks up to Spider-Man and removes his mask halfway, alarming MJ and Miles.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Spider-Man asked nervously.

"On behalf of the people of Symkaria, I bestow upon you this reward for your valor," said Silver.

Silver cups Spider-Man's face in her hands and leans in for... a kiss. On the lips. That's right! Silver Sable just kissed Spider-Man on the lips. And it lasted for an odd amount of time. Spider-Man just stood there, feeling way beyond confused about what is going on.

MJ cringed and grimaced at the sight of this. Miles elbows MJ in a teasing manner. Yuri covers her mouth because she was about to laugh.

After the kiss, Spider-Man just stared at Silver mouth agape, not knowing what to say or do about what she just did to him. Silver smiled an amused smirk as she covered his open mouth with his mask. She walks away to take care of the problem that is her face all over the news and her fight with Daily Bugle Associate Editor, Mary Jane Watson.

"Wait," MJ called. "Can I have my stun gun back?"

Silver takes out the stun gun and casually throws it back to MJ before leaving. MJ almost didn't catch it, but her reaction time was near perfect.

"Be careful with that, young lady," said Silver.

"I'm not 10 years old, Sable. I'm an adult," said MJ.

Spider-Man turns to Yuri, who was really trying her best to hold back her laughter.

"What so funny, Yuri?" asked Spider-Man.

"Nothing," Yuri said, laughing in between syllables. "I was just thinking about silver-haired babies with spider powers."

"Very funny," Spider-Man said sarcastically. "Just, please, go after her."

"Be safe, Spider-Man," said Yuri. "Oh, and you too, Spider-Boy."

Miles fist-pumped triumphantly, happy to hear someone who is not Jameson say his codename.

Yuri grins with laughter as she follows Silver out of Norman's apartment. That just leaves an embarrassed and confused Spider-Man, an uncomfortable Mary Jane Watson, and a proud Miles Morales standing on Norman Osborn's balcony acting like teenagers on television.

"I am competing against a super hot princess for Spider-Man's heart. Unbelievable," MJ said, feeling like she has competition.

"Oh, c'mon. She's not that hot," said Spider-Man.

"But you're saying she is," MJ accused. "She wears a silver earring that glows like actual silver. How can I compete with that?"

"Uh... okay, let's just not talk about this again for the rest of our lives, please," Spider-Man said, preferring to forget about the kiss.

"So, coach, what's your final review on my performance?" asked Miles.

"You still have a lot to learn, but I'll give you a B- only because you were brave," said Spider-Man.

Miles fist-pumped again and said, "Oh, yeah!"

 **XD**

 **That emoticon expresses how I felt writing about Silver kissing Spider-Man and the others' reactions to it. I am really sorry, but I can't help but ship Spider-Man and Silver Sable. I know the age difference (Peter is 23, Silver is 36) makes it very weird, but at least Spider-Man is an actual adult in the PS4 universe, so that makes it less weird. Don't get me wrong. I love Peter and MJ's love story in the video game, really, but dedicating an entire chapter to their romance is still a challenge for me. Until then, I thought I'd have a little fun with Silver Sable's "crush" on Spider-Man (okay, maybe she doesn't really have one but I couldn't help myself).**

 **BTW "Spider-Boy" is just a temporary codename for Miles.**

 **Just so you know, I'm aware that Silver Sable kissed Spider-Man in the comics. Although, honestly, I didn't ship Spidey and Silver because of the comic. It was the PS4 game that made me ship them. I didn't find out about the comic and the kiss until after the game.**

 **So, what do you think? Don't be afraid to give me your full, honest opinion.**


	3. New Kind of Normal

**About the whole "dedicating an entire chapter to Peter and MJ's romance", I thought about it and I thought I'd rush into it. There's gonna be more one-shots of Silver Sable (her picture is on the cover photo, after all) and since I can't resist doing Spidey/Silver stuff, I need to balance it out with Peter/MJ one-shots.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for the most recent reviews: treyalexander63917, Zombiedudecool, serpent1234, Killjoy funny man, Safffzz, Guest, Big . Grey . Bird, Mexican Ginger, FullMetal57**

 ** _To treyalexander63917_: Yeah, the love triangle is indeed hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing just writing it. I'm just hoping for more Spidey PS4 universe stories, but I guess more SpideyxSilver stories would also be lovely.**

 ** _To Zombiedudecool_: I agree. Miles being such a Spider-Man fanboy made his so likable. And thanks for sharing your opinion on the SpideyxSable stuff. Very appreciated.**

 ** _To Guest_: I'm still waiting for the Black Cat DLC before I write anything about Black Cat.**

 _ **To** **Big . Grey . Bird**_ **: Just so you know, saying "more" isn't exactly motivating to me. Compliments and honest opinions truly motivate me to continue.**

 ** _To Mexican Ginger_: I'm trying. Besides, all reviews are welcome, praise or criticism. It really motivates me.**

 ** _To FullMetal57_: Honestly, I too am impressed with the length. Chapter 2 became a lot longer than what I intended. One-part Miles Morales rising up as a hero, and one-part Silver Sable story (made me wish I chose one plot and stuck with it, then leave the other plot for another chapter).**

Peter and MJ have been dating again for nearly a month now, but they haven't really spent some quality time together besides evenings at MJ's apartment and team-ups on Spider-Man missions. Peter really wanted to help both of them feel like an even more normal couple, however impossible that is. So, that's why he set up a date at Fiorito, the pizza place where they had their first real date. MJ was never one for the fancy type of dates, so a simple one would have to do. Of course, this would mean that he would have to take the night-off as Spider-Man. But hey, New York's finest can take care of the crimes for tonight, right?

The night has come. Peter spent an hour in Miles' place getting ready. Miles just laughed as Peter rehearsed in the mirror. He had to remind him that he's not in high school anymore. Peter returned to MJ's apartment a few minutes after 7 PM, wearing a simple buttoned shirt. MJ opened her door and showed herself wearing a cozy red parka.

"Too much?" MJ asked.

"Kinda," Peter said honestly.

"So..." Peter fake-coughed, trying to pull himself together. "Are you ready? Cab's ready downstairs."

"As ready as I'll ever be," said MJ.

Peter's phone beeps. His crime alert sounded. There's an assault nearby. No cops in the area, and there just happens to be a spider-themed hero right here.

"I'm sure it's taken care of," Peter hoped, not wanting this night to be ruined.

"Just take of it, and then come back," said MJ.

Peter grabs his Advanced Suit from MJ's apartment before jumping out the window to take care of the assault. MJ sat down on the couch and waited. It took Peter twenty-seconds to swing towards where the assault was happening. Six masked thugs trying to mug two young women. Peter fires a web shot at Thug #1's back, zips himself towards him, and then kicks his face to the pavement, knocking him out.

"You know, this is a bad time for crime, guys," said Spider-Man. "I got a date and I don't need have the time to discipline delinquents like you."

"Oh, we'll let you get back to your date... in a body bag," said Thug #2.

Spider-Man webs up Thug #2 and then throws him at Thug #3. Thug #4 goes for a punch, but Spider-Man dodges it and then throws an uppercut. Spider-Man leaps and beats up Thug #4 in the air before webbing him to the ground. Thug #5 had a crowbar, but Spider-Man webs it away from him and then hits him in the legs with it. After webbing Thug #5 to the ground, Thug #6 tried to attack him from behind. Spider-Man blocks Thug #6's punch and then spin-kicks him to the wall, webbing him to it afterwards. Thug #3 pushes Thug #2 off of him and charges. Spider-Man fires a web shot at the nearest street light and then holds an outstretched string of web in front of Thug #3.

"Hold this," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man wraps the web around Thug #3 and it pulls him upwards. Spider-Man knocks out Thug #2 by web-throwing a garbage can lid at his face, and then back-flip kicks Thug #3 just as he was about to fall.

"Thanks, Spider-Man," said Amy, one of the two girls.

"Your moves are amazing," said Emma.

"Can we take a selfie with you?" asked Amy.

"Sure, why not?" Spider-Man agreed.

After taking a selfie with the two girls, Spider-Man swings his way back to MJ's apartment. Along the way, he decided to make a call to his favorite officer at the NYPD.

"Hey, Yuri. Got six naughty children tied up here at Greenwich in need to diaper changes and a bedtime story in a prison cell," said Spider-Man.

 _"I'll send officers to pick them up," said Yuri._

"Oh, and, Yuri, I'm gonna need you to take over for the night," said Spider-Man. "I got something important to do tonight."

 _"You're going on a date or something?" Yuri guessed._

"I... well... yeah," Spider-Man admitted. "Look, I just need you to take care of all things crime tonight. This night is really important to me. I have a life outside this mask, you know."

 _"The police always does their job, Spider-Man," said Yuri. "But sure, I'll cover for you."_

"Thanks, Yuri," Spider-Man said thankfully. "I owe you big time. Maybe I'll find you a date for next policeman's ball."

 _"Please don't," said Yuri._

In his Spider-Cop voice, Spider-Man says, "Do not worry, chief. Spider-Cop may be unavailable for the night, but he will remain vigilant no matter where he stands."

Nothing from Yuri. Just silence.

"Yuri? Yuri?" Spider-Man called. "I thought she warmed up to Spider-Cop."

Peter returns to MJ's apartment, rushes into the bathroom, and comes out in his normal clothes. Now he was ready for their date. They boarded the cab and the driver takes them to Fiorito.

* * *

At Fiorito, Peter and MJ sit down on the seat that Peter managed to convince the manager to reserve for them. Finding a seat is the next to last thing Peter needed for tonight. They were handed the menus and now all they have to do is select what they want to eat. As they pick, they decided to have a small talk, like you have in every date.

"So, Pete, have you found a new job yet?" asked MJ. "I mean, you asked me out knowing you have to pay for dinner."

"I got a job at Mick's last week," said Peter. "Stan was kind enough to talk the manager for me. I make $10 an hour."

(Yup, by Stan, I mean Stan Lee)

"And what if you have to, you know, do your _other_ job?" asked MJ.

"Stan's more than kind enough to cover for me," said Peter.

"Well, you are one of his two favorite customers," said MJ.

"And now his favorite co-worker," Peter said proudly. "What about you, Ms. Associate Editor? Ever planning on climbing to the top of the Daily Bugle?"

"Oh, definitely," said MJ. "But one step a time. I don't want to screw anything. Though I guarantee you, I'm gonna be chief editor of that building one day. I'll give Jameson a run for his money."

"Unlike him, you write the whole truth," said Peter. "Whenever Spider-Man is involved or some conspiracy theory, he twists it in his own story just for publicity."

"Robbie's a great chief, but I think... I know... I can do a better job," MJ said confidently.

"Dream big, MJ. Dream big," Peter motivated her.

The waiter came back to ask them if they're ready to order. They ordered a Hawaiian-style pizza, along with some fries. As they waited for their orders, they continue their small talk, although they have no idea what to say next.

"So... um... how's Miles' training?" asked MJ.

"He's getting better," said Peter. "He wanted to go out on solo missions, but I told him no. Good thing he's not stubborn enough to disobey that order. Besides, he's too young."

"Weren't you his age when you started?" MJ pointed out.

"Well, yeah, but... he has a mom," said Peter.

"You had Aunt May," MJ reminded.

"Okay, so maybe our situations aren't different," Peter admitted. "But at least I tried to take it seriously from the start. He's jumping into spider-adrenaline mode at the very first second."

"You're worried he's learning too quickly?" MJ guessed.

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Peter replied. "Okay, let's not talk about my... _other_ job. Let's..."

Peter was interrupted by the sound of police sirens. Four police cars pass by Fiorito. That can only mean that there's a serious crime happening nearby. Peter can't say he wasn't tempted to get out there and see what was going on, but this is not the night for Spider-Man-ing. Besides, he left his suit in MJ's apartment.

"No, no, no. I'm not even gonna think about it," said Peter.

"Are you sure?" MJ questioned. "Could be serious? They might need... you know who."

"No, this night is supposed to be about you and me, and you and me only," Peter insisted. "Besides, Yuri promised she'd cover for me."

Peter and MJ's pizza has been served. They were pretty silent while they ate, and not just because of the "don't talk with your mouth full" rule. Peter wanted to talk like two normal people, while MJ wanted to question him about it. Neither said a word until their pizza was halfway done.

"Peter, we don't have to go out like this if you don't like it," said MJ.

"No, no, no, no, no. I do like this. I really do," said Peter. "After all we've been doing these past few months, it's nice to just sit down and go out like two normal people."

"And that's the problem, Peter," said MJ. "We are..."

Peter's Spider Sense kicked in as purple-suited thugs with guns show up and force everyone in the restaurant to put their hands in the air. They weren't kidding around, because Peter knows who they are. They're Wilson Fisk's men. Even after three months since the big guy's arrest, he still has thugs in the city.

"Everyone! Get down!" One of the Fisk Thugs shouted. "And don't move!"

One Fisk Thug grabbed MJ.

"Here she is," said the Fisk Thug holding MJ.

"Mary Jane Watson, I presume," said Fisk Thug #1.

"Who's asking?" MJ replied.

"You're coming with us," said Fisk Thug #1.

MJ was dragged into the back of a van. Suit or no suit, Peter was not just gonna let them take her away.

"Hey, let her go!" Peter demanded.

Fisk Thug #2 whacks Peter in the face with his gun.

"Who do you think you are, kid? Spider-Man?" Fisk Thug #2 mocked.

The thugs board their van and drive away immediately. People started calling the cops immediately. Peter just stood there worrying about MJ. The time for normalcy is over. Now, it's time for Spider-Man to save his girlfriend.

* * *

After rushing back to MJ's apartment to put on his suit, Spider-Man uses his connection to the crime towers to figure out where Fisk's thugs took MJ. Since all the constructions sites have been cleared, the thugs who took MJ had to take her to a warehouse at Hell's Kitchen. If the pointy-eared vigilante whose name ends with "devil" isn't there to help, then Spider-Man is on his own. He even called Yuri to send backup.

At the warehouse, MJ was tied up to a chair and surrounded by Fisk Thug.

"Um, can someone explain why I'm here?" asked MJ.

"Don't pretend that you weren't the one who spied on us at the Financial District last week," said Fisk Thug #1. "We had cameras. We saw your face."

"Oh," MJ said.

"You found out about our operations and reported it to the police. You had the cops and Spider-Man searching our previous secret base," said Fisk Thug #1.

"So, I'm guessing this is the part where you say you're gonna kill me," said MJ.

"Not yet," said Fisk Thug #1. "First, you're gonna bring up the web head. After we kill him, we kill you."

"Well, good luck with that," MJ said sarcastically with a smile.

"You think he's coming to save you?" Fisk Thug #1 questioned. "We're counting on it, girlie. We have no reason to hide. We know that Spider-Man has access to those damn crime towers and we let those towers track our van. He'll be here soon."

Now MJ was worried. If Fisk's thugs were preparing for Spider-Man's arrival, he probably wouldn't see it coming. His Spider Sense can help him so much. She can only hope that he can overcome whatever they have in store. One thing's for sure, she had to get out here. She's not just gonna sit around and play damsel in distress. Even though she knows she needs Spider-Man's help, it doesn't mean she can't help herself. She just has to find a way.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN** **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man perched himself on a building across the warehouse where Fisk's thugs were keeping MJ. He had to be quiet and sneaky. They might kill her if they see him. There were three thugs guarding the outside of the warehouse. So, Spider-Man swings towards the warehouse's roof to prepare for his sneak attacks.

He webs one thug, hits his head on the roof, and then webs him up-side down.

He webs the other thug up and leaves him dangling over an open crate of flour sacks.

He webs the third one on the back, zips himself towards him, and knocks him out with a kick to the back of the head.

"Okay, that takes care of the exterior patrol. Now, to find MJ," said Spider-Man.

His Spider Sense kicked in again. Before he could react, the ground below him blew up. He fell down the hole created by the explosion. He was about to web himself out, but he got hit by a big piece of dirt and concrete, burying him under rubble. As it turns out, this warehouse has a basement that is twice the size of the warehouse itself. Fisk's thugs just had to plant bombs on the basement's ceiling at the right spot and detonate them at the right time.

"Well, well, well, lookie here, boys," said Fisk Thug #1, entering the room after the detonation.

"It's payback time," said Fisk Thug #2.

"Not yet," said Fisk Thug #1. "First, we gotta make a special call."

Spider-Man couldn't move. His body was too banged up from the rubble that almost crushed him. He can only grunt and whine as he tried to save himself, to no avail. All he can think of now is, _Where are you, MJ?_

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN** **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Meanwhile, MJ was still held up in the second floor office, guarded by one Fisk Thug. She heard the explosion and became scared that Spider-Man might have been caught in it. She had to find out. She's not sitting her and just hoping he's okay. Lucky for her, she found a way out. The Fisk Thugs tied her up next to a broken pipe. The pipe had a sharp point that she can use to cut the ropes binding her wrists together. Good thing the Fisk Thug had his back turned.

MJ quietly moves the rear legs of her chair to the left a little. Then one of the chair's legs made a squeaking sound. The Fisk Thug turned around, but MJ just smiled at him. The Fisk Thug looks away, giving MJ another chance to move to the left a little more. Then she started moving her tied-up hands up and down so the sharp point of the pipe can slice her ties off.

"Hey, pal, can I ask you something?" MJ started. "Why do you even work for Fisk?"

"Shut up," said the Fisk Thug.

"No, I mean, what good is his money to you if he's behind bars?" MJ continued.

"He won't be behind bars for long," said the Fisk Thug.

"You guys tried to break him out of prison three months ago, didn't you?" MJ mentioned. "But Spider-Man foiled your plans. He'll always foil your plans."

"Just shut up, lady!" The Fisk Thug shouted.

MJ finally cuts herself free. She slowly reaches into her parka and takes out her stun gun. Yup, unlike Peter, she didn't go on this date unprepared for danger. Getting up slowly and quietly, she tip-toes her way towards the Fisk Thug. When she was finally close enough... ZAP! Down goes the Fisk Thug.

"Man, I love this thing," said MJ.

MJ heads outside only to see the big hole. Must've been where the explosion happened, she thought. Looking down while trying not to fall in, MJ gasped with horror at what she saw. Spider-Man, pinned down under rubble. The Fisk Thugs were trying to dig him out so he can talk to a certain someone that Fisk Thug #1 is calling right now. MJ didn't want to just stay up there and find out. She decided to head to the basement from the inside, trying not to make any noise as she did. Against he better judgment, she had to take the unconscious Fisk Thug's rifle. She didn't want to use it, but she's outnumbered and outgunned.

MJ arrived at the basement, but hid behind the door until she could plan a rescue. The person that Fisk Thug #1 was calling was Wilson Fisk himself. Via video call.

"Well, well. Nice job, boys," said Fisk.

Fisk Thug #2 and #5 pull Spider-Man from out of the rubble and put him face-to-face (in a way) with the boss. How he's getting communication from inside The Raft, no one knows.

"After 9 years, I will finally be rid of you," said Fisk.

"Come out of prison and... ack... get rid of me yourself," Spider-Man said with spite, trying to speak through the pain.

"You were nothing but a pest. A formidable, annoying pest, but a pest nonetheless," said Fisk. "But first, take off the mask. I want to see the look on his face now that he realized that I have bested him."

"What if I'm not wearing a mask? What if this mask _is_ my real face?" Spider-Man joked.

MJ couldn't help but chuckle. Even when it looked like it was all over, Spider-Man would find the will to crack a joke. It's one of the things she loves about him. But she had to act now. Fisk and his thugs can't know who Spider-Man is. MJ didn't want to shoot anyone, even if they are bad guys. So, she did something stupid. She just shoots everywhere, causing some noise.

"What was that?!" Fisk Thug #2 wondered.

With the Fisk Thug's distracted, Spider-Man takes action. Despite the massive pain he's suffering right now, he had to move. He elbows Fisk Thug #2 in the stomach, kicks Fisk Thug #5 in the face, webs Fisk Thug #1's legs to trip him, and then throws a Suspension Matrix at Fisk Thugs #3, 4, and 6. Spider-Man quickly webs up all three thugs temporarily suspended in mid-air. Fisk Thug #2 hits him behind the head with his rifle, but Spider-Man quickly recovers and kicks Fisk Thug #2 in the face. Spider-Man kicks Fisk Thug #2 as fast as he can and then unleashes a strong kick that knocks him towards the rubble. He then webs up Fisk Thug #5 and kicks him to the wall to glue him there. Fisk Thug #1, despite lying down with tied-up legs, aims his gun at Spider-Man.

"Compliments of Mr. Fisk," said Fisk Thug #1.

Fortunately, MJ shocks Fisk Thug with her stun gun, knocking him out.

"Hi," MJ greeted casually and awkwardly.

"Hi," Spider-Man greeted casually and awkwardly. "I could've dodged that, you know."

"Couldn't take that chance," said MJ. "C'mon, let's get out of here."

Spider-Man puts arm around MJ and then webs both of them out of the basement through the giant hole in the roof. Yuri and the NYPD showed up just in time to investigate the mess.

* * *

Once again, Spider-Man had to be taken to F.E.A.S.T. for medical attention. Miles was there to see to Spider-Man's treatment. He was hurt pretty bad, being buried under rubble and all. Thanks to his regenerative healing factor, he was recovering from his injuries a lot faster than expected. After an hour, he wanted to get out bed. MJ expected that, so she had him sit down on the bed.

"Just a few more minutes, please," MJ pleaded.

"Anything for you," said Spider-Man.

"I didn't expect those thugs to just get the drop on you like that," said MJ.

"I wasn't thinking clearly. All I was thinking about was saving you," said Spider-Man. "I ended up running blind into danger like..."

"Like me."

That was Miles, who just returned with a bottle of spring water for Spider-Man.

"Yeah," Spider-Man agreed. "I let myself fall right in Fisk's hands."

"Hey, he's still in The Raft, his thugs are going to prison, and you're still alive. You don't have to beat yourself up," MJ said reassuringly.

"I was supposed to save you. Instead, you saved me," said Spider-Man. "Thank you."

"I'm too worried about you to feel proud about it," said MJ. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"Hey, I've been through worse. I could've been stomped by a thousand rhinos, and I'm not talking about the actual rhino," Spider-Man said jokingly.

"Always finding levity in a situation, huh?" MJ questioned, chuckling a little.

"Hey, it's me," Spider-Man said with an uplifting tone.

It amazed both MJ and Miles that Peter is the kind of person who never fails to find an opportunity to crack a joke, make a quip, or all of the above. This is a boy who has lost so much in his life. His parents. His Uncle Ben. His Aunt May. Sure, he may have Miles and MJ as his new family now, but you would think a boy like Peter who has suffered through so much sorrow and tragedy would be edgy and emotionally unstable. Instead, he is still the same quippy, lighthearted boy who annoys his allies and enemies non-stop with his sense of humor.

"You truly are amazing, Peter," said MJ.

"Don't forget spectacular," Miles added.

"Amazing. Spectacular. What's next? Ultimate?" Spider-Man joked.

"Ultimate Spider-Man. Now that sounds cooler than coolest," said Miles.

"No thanks, Miles. I think I prefer if you were the Ultimate Spider-Man," said Spider-Man.

Miles thought about it. He wasn't sure if he would become Spider-Man, since Peter is the one who owns the name Spider-Man. But Miles thought "Ultimate Spider-Man" sounded very cool.

"Pete, I'm so sorry that date night got ruined," said MJ, feeling responsible for what happened.

"Hey, you were just doing your job," Spider-Man said understandingly.

"Yeah, and it almost got you killed," MJ said with guilt.

"Hey, you're the one who told me not to let Jameson's words about me arresting Fisk get to me," Spider-Man reminded. "You should heed your own advice. Don't blame yourself."

"Now I know how you feel," said MJ. "But you're right. Well, you're right that I'm right, that is."

"I just wanted tonight to be normal," said Spider-Man.

"And that's the problem, Peter. We can never be normal, but I'm okay with that," said MJ. "Sure, I would love a peaceful night with you, but for the right reasons."

"In that case, how about we just grab fries at Mick's?" Spider-Man asked.

"I'd love that," said MJ.

* * *

After Spider-Man was cleared by doctors, he and MJ leave F.E.A.S.T. to go to Mick's Restaurant and order his famous fries. They can't get enough of them. Best Fries in New York, according to Mary Jane Watson.

"You actually brought your stun gun with you on our date?" Peter asked.

"You never know when you need it," said MJ.

"Well, at least you were the smart one tonight. I'm the dummy," said Peter.

"Maybe, but you're my dummy," said MJ. "I wouldn't have you any other way."

"I just wish tonight would've been better," said Peter.

MJ holds Peter's hand and says, "It is better. I don't care where we're eating. As long as I'm with you, everything is better."

Peter smiles and holds MJ's hand with both his own. The two were interrupted when Stan Lee showed up and served them the lasagna they ordered. Now they wish they didn't, but they were still hungry. They didn't even got to finish their pizza back at Fiorito.

"It warms my heart to see you two back together," said Stan. "From the first time I saw you two in here together, I knew you were meant for each other."

"Gee, thanks, Stan," said Peter.

"Well, don't let me ruin your moment," said Stan.

Stan walked away, returning to work while the two lovebirds just stare and smile at one another.

"It's nice to have a #1 shipper," Peter joked.

"Yeah, it does," MJ agreed. "Although, I think Miles might want that position. When _Spider-Man_ told him that I have your number, he thought I was Spider-Man's girlfriend."

Peter laughed.

"Well, technically, he wasn't wrong," said Peter. "I-I-I mean, y-you were my ex at the time, but I-I meant that y-your were once my girlfriend, so I thought that..."

MJ just laughed, amused to no end by Peter Parker's awkwardness around girls, especially her. Peter fake-laughed, even though he felt embarrassed about stuttering in front of her. He hated it when that happens. Good thing she doesn't know about his rehearsal three months ago about asking her if he could crash on her couch for one night.

"Let's just eat," said MJ.

The two grabbed their forks and started eating their lasagna.

"Are you sure you're satisfied with this?" asked Peter.

"I can't ask for anything better," MJ said happily. She then noticed something on Peter's face. "You got a little sauce on your lip over there."

"Really?" Peter asked.

"Here. Let me take care of that," said MJ.

MJ leans in and kisses Peter on the lips, as if she was "cleaning the sauce off his lips." Peter didn't question it and kissed her back. Stan smiled as he watched the two kiss with so much love.

 **Well, what do you think? Did I do okay with Peter and MJ's romance in this chapter? Please let me know. I was so nervous writing this and I am still nervous. I am more of an exotic couple kind of shipper, which makes writing SpideyxSable scenes easier. Normal (or normal-ish) types of relationships are kinda hard for me to write. I still try my best though.**

 **But please, give me your full, honest opinion on this chapter. I would really appreciate it.**


	4. Shades of Silver

**This chapter is mostly about me fixing a problem I personally had with Chapter 2. It was fun to write and I'm glad many loved it, but it felt crowded. It was one-part Miles Morales' rising-as-a-hero story, and one-part Silver Sable story. It probably would've been better (or not) to split the stories into separate chapters. That's why for this chapter, it's mostly about Silver Sable.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **A/N: If you've got issues with my grammar, tell me about it through PM (private messaging), not through a review.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the most recent reviews: DiRunner, Zombiedudecool, Mr. Vegerott23, lindleya1, AllShallFade777, TLH, Let's Watch, jminator, davidashton2099, Guest(s)**

 ** _To DiRunner_: Ha, nice pun. As for Gwen Stacy, well, I don't really think about it at all. The PS4 universe is its own kind of Spidey's world, so either he's met Gwen or he hasn't.**

 ** _To lindleya1_: Well, it wasn't the comics that made me ship Spidey and Sable. It was the game. But as they say, to each his/her own, right? And I'll try to see if I can add more of Yuri.**

 ** _To TLH_: Silver at F.E.A.S.T. looking after an injured Spidey, and then MJ walks in. AWKWARD!**

 _ **To gagelange10 and Guest (the ones who pointed out my grammar mistakes)**_ **: Honestly, I am greatly discouraged. But I get it. I'm a terrible writer and I don't pay too much attention to verb tenses. I am aware of my inconsistent tenses. Maybe I am still inexperienced even after 3 years of writing, but if it makes you feel any better, I'll try to (at least) work on my tenses. It's hard enough to come up with ideas and to finish writing them in very limited time without having to worry about grammar. I'll fix it... in time.**

 ** _To Guest (the one who suggested involving the Avengers)_: I don't know. I prefer to keep this centered on the main characters of the Spider-Man PS4 game. I'm afraid you'll just have to make do with references to the Avengers.**

 ** _To davidashton2099 and Guest (those who wondered "What if MJ got bitten by the spider instead of Miles?")_: I also always wondered what would've happened if MJ was the one bitten, but my real life schedule is too full for me to even consider writing another Spider-Man story. I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to stick with this one-shot collection. I hope you're not mad.**

Just another day for Spider-Man, chasing down a speeding van full of the remaining Demons. Just when you thought the terror of Martin Li and his associates was put to a stop, there are still some Demons who remain loyal to their cause. The back of the van opens and three Demons started firing their guns at Spider-Man. He swings left and right, as well as making some moves in mid-air, to avoid the bullets. He also had to make sure that the van doesn't hit civilians. He had to use a trip mine to web a guy to the wall when the van drove on the sidewalk.

"Martin Li's behind bars, guys. There's literally no reason to keep doing this," said Spider-Man. "Or do you guys just want money for a Hawaiian vacation? You should just go to the beach. It's cheap and relaxing."

"Rang ta chenmo! _(Silence him!)_ " One of the Demons shouted.

"Uh, I don't speak Mandarin, but I'm gonna take that as a maybe," Spider-Man said humorously.

Then one of the Demons pulled out a rocket launcher.

"Oh, come on!" Spider-Man complained. He has had it up to his mask with rockets and missiles.

A rocket was launched at him. Spider-Man dodges it, and then webs it to zip himself towards it. If he doesn't stop it, it would crash into another part of the city and people would die. Using his webs, he changes the RPG's trajectory, sending it up to the sky. He lets go of the two web ropes attached to the RPG and then fires electric webs at it. It exploded. Now everyone is safe. Well, maybe not yet, since the Demons are still loose.

Spider-Man returns to his chase. It took him a while, but he managed to catch up with the Demons. Since this chase could go on all day, Spider-Man decided it's time to stop it.

"Fingers crossed," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man fires multiple web shots at the back of the van and attaches web strings to two buildings right across each other. When the van's speed couldn't break through the web's tensile strength, the van gets pulled backwards and is hung in the air between the two buildings. The crowd cheered. Spider-Man waved at the people.

The waving and cheering ended when the Demons (about 5 of them) jumped out of the van with their negative energy weapons.

"Just another day in New York," Spider-Man commented.

Before the fight between Spider-Man and the Demons could start, the sound of a helicopter caught everyone's attention. The winds blown in everyone's faces due to the aerial vehicle's rapidly-spinning blades only kept their eyes facing up. Looking down from the open door is the Princess of Symkaria herself, Silver Sable.

"As if this day couldn't get any worse," Spider-Man complained.

Silver Sable jumps out of the helicopter and fires her energy pistols at the Demons, incapacitating every single one of them. She lands stylishly on her two feet and she eyes the wall-crawler, who just stared.

"If I give you a ten out of ten for that entrance, would you still shoot me?" Spider-Man asked jokingly.

Silver just smiles at him. She then turns her attention to the Demons, who were too hurt to get back up. She grabs one conscious Demon by the suit and stares into his mask with a furious look on her face.

"Give me the case," Silver demanded.

"Ni yongyuan zhao bu dao ta ( _You'll never find it_ )," said the Demon.

"Buyao du ni de shenghuo ( _Don't bet your life on it_ )," Silver growled.

"You speak Mandarin?" Spider-Man asked.

Silver kicks the Demon in the face, knocking him out.

"Whoa! Ease up on the brutality, your highness," said Spider-Man.

"You have no idea what is at stake here, Spider-Man," said Silver.

"Any chances you and the Demons can take this rivalry out of town, please?" Spider-Man pleaded, even though he knew it can't happen.

"I would, but they won't," said Silver.

A Demon was about to grab his negative-energy-powered hatchet, but Spider-Man webs it away from him and pulls it towards his hand. He then webs the Demon to the road to prevent him from escaping.

"Seriously, this stuff is so cool," Spider-Man said as he admired the weapon.

"Are you planning on keeping it?" asked Silver.

"As a souvenir, maybe," said Spider-Man.

Police sirens are heard as three police cars arrive at the scene. Captain Yuri Watanabe approaches the silver-haired princess and the masked vigilante as she looks at the Demons' van that is webbed and hanging above the road. The other the cops arrested the injured Demons.

"Any casualties?" asked Yuri.

"Zero," said Spider-Man.

"Good work," said Yuri.

"Aw, you give me too much credit," Spider-Man said, flustered.

Yuri looks at Silver and asks, "Now, would someone want to tell me why Sable International is here in New York?"

"This is a matter to be discussed in private," said Silver.

"At the precinct," said Yuri.

Silver taps into her earpiece and tells her men, "Stay with the NYPD. Interrogate the Demons. I will return with you shortly."

* * *

On the top of the Chinatown precinct, Yuri and Silver stood and waited for a certain superhero to show up. Spider-Man swings in with a paper cup holder holding three cups of coffee. Well, actually, one cup of coffee. A double espresso for Yuri. Hot chocolate for Silver. Frappuccino for Spider-Man.

"Spider-Cop has returned, Chief, with your caffeine-mixed refreshment to give you all the energy to fight until the sun dies," Spider-Man said in his Spider-Cop voice.

"I think I should've asked for bourbon," Yuri complained.

"I never had hot coco before," said Silver. She then takes a sip. "It's... exotic."

"I knew you'd love it," said Spider-Man. "You should try ice mocha latte next time."

Spider-Man removes his mask halfway so he can drink his frappuccino.

"Be careful. You don't want your lips exposed around Sable," Yuri teased.

As Spider-Man drank his frappe through a straw, he took a few steps away from Silver, much to the ladies' amusement.

"So, Sable, your presence here?" Yuri asked.

"The Demons infiltrated my country, disguised as my men. They stole something from me and escaped with it," said Silver.

"Let me guess. A weapon?" Yuri guessed.

"The point is, Sable International intends to reclaim what belongs to us before the Demons do some damage," said Silver.

"So, how much damage are we talking here? An entire building? An entire street? A city block?" asked Spider-Man.

"Worldwide," Silver answered.

The eyes of Spider-Man's mask widened like real eyes when a person hears something shocking.

"The demons in the van do not have it," said Silver. "Which means it's still somewhere in city. I have to retrieve it before they get a chance to use it."

"But what is it?" asked Yuri. "We need all the details, Sable. If it's nuclear codes or a bio-weapon, I can take it."

"It's an experimental weapon we have been developing," said Silver. "I was intending on shutting it down, until the Demons stole it."

"Wait, you were gonna get rid of this weapon?" asked Spider-Man.

"It's too dangerous to be in anyone's hands, even mine," said Silver.

"Personal growth," Spider-Man said positively. He felt proud of Silver.

"You're really serious about this turning-over-a-new-leaf thing, aren't you?" asked Yuri.

"What me and my men did during the Devil's Breath outbreak, it was despicable and dishonorable," said Silver. "I want Sable International to represent peace and justice, not prejudice and terrorism."

"You really have a way of rubbing off on people, Spider-Man," said Yuri.

"Well, Spider-Cop is meant to be a beacon of hope. He not only kicks butt and takes names. He inspires people," said Spider-Man, once again in his Spider-Cop voice.

Yuri sighs with annoyance. Silver hid her reaction by drinking more of her hot chocolate.

Silver then receives a call from one of her agents.

 _"Your highness, I believe we have a clue on where the case is," said the agent._

"Where?" asked Silver.

 _"One of the Demons carried a map of their secret bases in the city," said the agent. "Fisk Tower and an abandoned underground parking lot on the Upper West Side."_

"Send a team to each location. Find the Demons. Get that case back, but avoid unnecessary casualties," Silver ordered.

"I take it your agents found the case," Yuri guessed.

"I'll have to finish this magnificent drink in the car," said Silver. "Captain, shall we?"

"Where to?" asked Yuri.

"The Upper West Side," said Silver.

"Awesome," said Spider-Man. Changing his voice, he says, "Spider-Cop, The Chief, and the Silver Sabre must team up and defend New York from a deadly super weapon. The Demons think themselves as untouchable as specters, but with Spider-Cop's powers, The Chief's leadership, and Silver Sabre's sharp silver tongue, they will as touchable as mold on a wall."

"Silver Sabre?" Silver questioned.

"Mold on a wall?" Yuri questioned in disgust.

"Uh..."

Spider-Man just jumps off the roof and swings towards the Upper West Side to escape the awkward situation.

"You two have such a strange partnership," Silver commented.

"He tried to ask me out once to a ball, you know," Yuri mentioned.

"Did you say yes?" asked Silver.

"There was no ball, unfortunately. I never gave my answer," said Yuri.

* * *

By the time Spider-Man, Silver Sable, and Yuri arrived at the parking lot on the Upper West Side, there was already a shootout between the NYPD, Sable agents, and fifteen Demons. Everyone there was using cars and columns as shields. Yuri and Silver find some cover and they fired their weapons at the Demons. Spider-Man swings in circles to dodge the bullets.

"Guys, playing with guns is unsafe for children your age," Spider-Man joked. "Listen to your Friendly Neighborhood Spider- _Man_ and put them down before you hurt yourselves and someone else, most likely me."

"Jieshu ta!" A demon shouted.

"Ay caramba!" Spider-Man said jokingly. "I wish I brought Mr. Stark's suit. I could use my Spider-Bro right about now."

Spider-Man fires three web bombs at the Demons. Three end up webbed to walls/columns and nine are covered in webs, wriggling to get free. The three who dived out of the way from the web bombs' blast radius got shot by Silver Sable.

"Nice shot," Yuri complimented.

"Been practicing since I was the age of 10," said Silver.

"Do they even have age restrictions rules for guns in Symkaria?" Yuri replied.

Spider-Man swings down and kicks one webbed-up Demon towards a column, gluing him there. Spider-Man web-ropes Demon #5, spins around, hits four other Demons, and then throws the Demon #5 at Demon #10, knocking them both out. Demon #11 broke free of his ties and attacks from behind, but Spider-Man spins to dodge the axe swing. He propels himself up by webbing the ceiling and knees the Demon #11 in the face.

"Wow," said an officer, wowed.

"My kids are gonna love this," said another officer, who just started videotaping the action.

Spider-Man pounds Demon #12 as many times as he can before knocking him out with a back-flip kick. Demon #13 grabs his gun, but Yuri shoots him. Spider-Man web-zips himself towards Demon #14 and kicks him to knock him out. Demon #15 uses his negative-energy-whips, but Spider-Man dodges every whip. While in mid-air, he fires multiple web shots at Demon #15, webbing him up. He punches Demon #15 in the face twice before kicking him to a car, gluing him there.

Dusting off his hands proudly, Spider-Man says, "Another day, another Demon gang in the bag."

"Awesome work, Spider-Man," said an officer.

"Hey, thanks," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man finds a titanium case and decides to open it to see what all the fuss is about. Silver Sable pushes him aside and opens it herself.

"Rude much?" Spider-Man reacted.

Silver opens the case, only to smack the case aside in anger, almost hitting Spider-Man.

"Didiskoya!" Silver cursed.

"Whoa, what's with the temper, Sable?" asked Spider-Man.

Spider-Man takes a look at the dropped contents of the case. Nothing but empty glass canisters, which are now shattered thanks to Silver.

"We have to get to Fisk Tower now," said Silver.

"Care to tell me exactly what's in that case?" asked Spider-Man.

"This is not the time to waste, Spider-Man," said Silver.

"Hey, I want to save the world as much as you do, but you don't have to be so tense," said Spider-Man. "Well, tense-er."

"Sable," Yuri called after she was finished with a phone call.

Silver ignored her and walks towards her car.

"Sable!" Yuri called again. "The mayor needs to see us at City Hall. Spider-Man can meet up with our boys at Fisk Tower. We just have to talk to the mayor of your unannounced visit. If you continue to tread around New York risking civilian lives, then this could escalate until the President takes notice."

"Veratarkyi!" Silver cursed.

"I'm going to assume that's Symkarian for a bad word," Spider-Man guessed.

* * *

While Yuri and Silver talk to the new mayor, Spider-Man swings towards Fisk Tower where the other teams of cops and Sable agents are. As he closes in on the location, he gets a call from MJ. When he answered, he heard gunshots in the background, which is definitely not a good.

 _"Hi, Pete," MJ greeted casually, as if nothing bad is happening._

"MJ, why do I hear gunshots?" asked Spider-Man. "Wait, did you..."

 _"Fisk Tower. Server room. Now!" MJ shouted._

"Oh, my go... MJ!" Spider-Man scolded.

 _"I'll explain later," said MJ. "Just get here, quickly!"_

Since Wilson Fisk's arrest, Fisk Tower has been in repair in order to make room for a legitimate business. Leave it to the Demons to use a place under construction for their secret criminal operations. And now, Fisk Tower is once again in danger of being greatly damaged due to a shootout.

"Hopefully no one brought rocket launchers," Spider-Man hoped.

Spider-Man swings in through the already broken first floor window. A shootout like this reminds him of the day he took down Wilson Fisk. With the exception of smashing through the window, he was in pretty much the same situation. Eight officers and nine Sable agents against thirteen Demons.

"You, uh, guys need any help?" Spider-Man asked jokingly.

"You think?" A Sable agent replied rudely.

Spider-Man web-zips himself towards a Demon and knocks him out with a strong kick. Several Demons started firing at him, forcing him to do a series of jumps and flips to avoid getting shot.

"Everyone here who is a good guy, get down!" Spider-Man ordered.

The officers and the Sable agents take cover as Spider-Man readied his web shooters for something crazy. Spinning fast in the air, Spider-Man unleashes his special Web Blossom, webbing everyone in sight. When he was finished, all Demons were webbed up and unable to break free.

"Okay, that... that was amazing, like, really amazing," one cop admitted.

"Spider-Man, some of our agents entered through the upper floors. They may need some assistance," a Sable agent reported.

"Go find the other Demons. There's a civilian here I gotta rescue... again," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man opens the elevator door and then opens the elevator hatch, allowing him to run up the elevator shaft to the floor where MJ is. Between him and the server room is a gunfight between seven Sable agents and six Demons. Spider-Man quickly webs himself towards the balcony near the serve room and takes on the Demons up-close. He webs one of their guns, spins around to whack them with said gun, and then knocks out its owner by throwing it at his face.

"Jieshu ta kelian de shenghuo! ( _End his pathetic life!_ )" A Demon shouted as he fired.

"I still don't speak Mandarin, but I did take a brief online translation course on my way here," said Spider-Man. "Chi zhizhu ti! ( _Eat Spider-Kick!_ )"

Spider-Man knocks out the Demon with a web-zip-kick. He webs Demon #3 to the railing and takes down Demon #4 with a series of swift kicks and deadly uppercut.

"Sorry about your jaw, buddy," Spider-Man apologized humorously.

Spider-Man webs Demon #5's negative-energy-hatchet away from him and then hits him in the shin with the butt end of the weapon. He uppercuts Demon #5 to the air, kicks him towards the wall, and then webs him there. He finishes Demon #6 easily with a shot from his Impact web, webbing him to a column.

"You guys need a new hobby? May I suggest... horror movies?" Spider-Man joked.

Spider-Man heads into the server room to look for MJ. She was hiding behind a server. Once she saw him, she ran towards him and hugged him. Just seeing him here unscathed, and the fact that he came in through the front door, tells her that he took care of the shootout outside.

"You're a life saver, Peter," MJ said happily.

"Oh, so now you're okay with me saving you?" Spider-Man questioned.

"I was surrounded by more than a dozen demons with only a stun gun for protection. I think this is one time I needed saving," said MJ.

MJ lifts Spider-Man's mask halfway off to kiss him on the lips as a thank you. He let her see his smile before pulling his mask back down.

"So, what were you doing here?" asked Spider-Man.

"You're gonna love this," said MJ.

MJ ran back to the server she hid behind and grabbed a titanium case. She opens it and shows Spider-Man a canister with a rare kind of metal inside.

"Vibranium," said MJ.

"Vibranium? As in _Vibranium_ Vibranium? As in the rare-metal-that-can-only-be-found-in-Wakanda Vibranium? The stuff-that-Captain-America's-shield-is-made-of Vibranium?" Spider-Man asked, geeking out.

"Yup, that Vibranium," MJ confirmed.

"So this is what Sable's been looking for," Spider-Man realized.

"I heard about her arrival," said MJ. "Why does she want this stuff?"

"Apparently, the Demons stole it from her," said Spider-Man.

"Well, we've gotta ship this straight to the Wakandan Embassy. King T'Challa will definitely be happy to have this back," said MJ. "Maybe I'll even get an exclusive from him."

"Actually, we have to tell Sable," said Spider-Man. "She's angry and a visit to the mayor about unannounced visits is only gonna make her angrier."

"You actually trust Sable with this thing?" asked MJ. "This stuff can literally make any kind of weapon. You want Sable International to keep it?"

"Sable International's changed... sort of," said Spider-Man. "Look, we'll give the Vibranium to the Wakandan Embassy later. Right now, we finally get Sable to calm down."

* * *

After a lengthy talk with the mayor that ends with Silver punching one of his bodyguards in the face, Yuri and Silver were sent away. Fortunately, the mayor allowed Silver to continue her operations in the city as long as no civilians get caught in the crossfire.

"That wasn't very professional back there," Yuri criticized.

"I am aware of my behavior, Captain," said Silver.

"Then why did you still punch his bodyguard?" asked Yuri.

"We get what I'm looking for and we would never speak of this again," said Silver, dodging the question.

"Hey, look! It's Spider-Man!" A cop exclaimed as he pointed in the air.

Swinging down from above is none other than Spider-Man. MJ showed up as well, having hitched a ride with the wall crawler. MJ opens the case and shows the Vibranium to Silver.

"No, this is not the only one," said Silver.

Silver closes the cases and snatches it from MJ's hands.

"Uh, you're welcome," said MJ.

"What do you mean it's not the only one?" asked Spider-Man.

"And what is that thing?" Yuri asked curiously.

"There were two canisters. Why is there only one?" Silver wondered.

"That's why I came," said MJ. "To tell you that the Demons relocated the other canister to another location."

"Wait, you didn't tell me before we came here?" Spider-Man questioned.

"I was, until you told me about what Sable was looking for," said MJ.

"Ms. Watson, what are you even doing here?" asked Yuri.

"She was at Fisk Tower during the bang-bang-bang stuff," said Spider-Man. "Now, MJ... ah... Ms. Watson... where is the other canister?"

"They're transferring it out of the city on a Consolidated Shipping truck," MJ answered.

"I gotta find that truck," said Spider-Man.

"No, you're taking me with you," said Silver.

"Then hop into Yuri's car and meet me there," said Spider-Man.

"No, I meant you're taking me _with_ you," Silver repeated.

"I... wha... oh!" Spider-Man realized.

"I want to be sure the package is secure. I trust you, but I prefer to be there to retrieve it myself," said Silver.

"Uh... you sure you don't want to let Spider-Man handle it alone?" MJ said awkwardly. "I mean, I'm sure you can take care of yourself, but..."

Silver raises her hand in front of MJ's face, silencing her. MJ can only show her "that was rude" face.

"You're taking me with you, Spider-Man. I won't ask again," said Silver.

"O... Okay," Spider-Man said awkwardly. "Well, Grab on and, uh, hold on, I-I-I guess."

Yuri gives the case containing the Vibranium to one of her agents.

"Don't lose it," Silver ordered.

Silver brazenly puts both arms around Spider-Man and holds on to him tightly, which made both him and MJ feel awkward. Spider-Man reluctantly puts an arm around Silver's waist as he prepares to swing away.

"Be sure to know where to keep your hands, Sticky Fingers," Yuri teased.

"Very funny, Yuri," Spider-Man said with sarcasm and a little bit of anger.

Spider-Man swings away from the scene with Silver. Yuri orders her fellow officers to go on patrol and search for a Consolidated Shipping truck, as well as calling other officers to guard all the Manhattan exits. Silver's agents decided to help with the search. Yuri offers MJ a ride in her car.

"So, are you and Spider-Man dating or something?" Yuri asked.

"Just drive, please," MJ replied. She purposely wanted to avoid the question.

* * *

Spider-Man swings past street after street in search of a Consolidated Shipping truck, but the city was too huge. Silver holds on tighter because she was unprepared for the experience. As Spider-Man swings from building to building, Silver looks down, not because she was trying to look for the truck but because the experience felt... strange, in a good way. Unfortunately, the feeling ended when Spider-Man stopped on top of the Sanctum Sanctorum.

"Wait just a second. I have to check on the crime towers. Maybe they can help us find the truck," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man takes out his phone and starts using his link to the crime towers to find any leads on a Consolidated Shipping truck. As he does, he noticed Silver just looking at the sunset on the horizon like something out of a movie scene. Silver had this sullen but beatific expression on her face. She almost looked... human.

"I have flown helicopters, planes, jets, but the experience you have given me... it's indescribable," said Silver.

"Uh, you're welcome... I guess," Spider-Man said, unsure of how to respond.

"When I was only a child, a group of Soviet assassins attacked my home while my family and I slept," Silver continued. "My parents were killed right in front of me. I would have been next if it not for one of my father's agents. Ever since that day, I vowed to never let my emotions get the best of me. I chose to become someone who only cared about the objective and nothing more. I was a contemptible human being."

"Uh, why are you telling me this?" asked Spider-Man.

"Because I want you to know where I came from," said Silver. "Ever since I met you, I have been reflecting on who I am and what kind of person I am to the eyes of others. You made me see that I was anything but human. I have tried my best to see what being human really means."

"Being human is about letting your emotions, your heart tell you what to do," said Spider-Man. "You chose to leave New York because your heart told you that the life you lead was wrong... well, the way you handled Sable International is wrong, not the agency itself."

"The Demons stole the Vibranium just as I was about to decide to deliver them to Wakanda," said Silver. "As I said, it's too dangerous to be in anyone's hands, including mine."

"Well, then I guess Ms. Watson has nothing to worry about," said Spider-Man. "She was afraid you would use the Vibranium for some dastardly weapon."

"Not anymore," said Silver. "Thanks to you."

"You give me too much credit," said Spider-Man.

"Your example is what drives Sable International's current image," said Silver. "I am not ashamed to admit that."

"Wow... well... you're welcome, again," said Spider-Man. Trying to escape the sweet moment, he looked at his phone and said, "Uh... I found the truck. It's at Chinatown, and it looks like it's heading for the Manhattan Bridge. We gotta..."

Spider-Man was interrupted when the latest episode of _Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson_ came up on his phone.

 _"They're back, folks. Sable International is back in New York once again. My sources tell me that they have been involved in a shootout with Demons at an abandoned parking lot and at Fisk Tower. And guess who just happened to be at both scenes? Spider-Man. I mean, isn't it suspicious that even after Martin Li's arrest, there are still Demons running around causing chaos and Spider-Man seems to be there ever single time? But here comes the crazy part. Some millennials posted pictures of videos of Spider-Man... wait for it... swinging around the city with Silver Sable in his grasp. I've heard that lots of women have been wishing for Spider-Man to take them on a joy ride, or joy swing, around New York, but he never granted their wishes. And now there are rumors that this joy swing with Silver Sable means something... romantic." Cue hysterical laugh, which lasted way too long. "Isn't that hysterical? I mean... ha-ha... I don't think even Silver Sable is crazy enough to fall in love with that web head. If you ask me, I think he's kidnapping her and trying to keep her away from the Demons. Mark my words."_

"You shouldn't listen to that man. His judgment is greatly clouded by his egocentrism, delusions of grandeur, and deep-seated contempt towards you," said Silver.

"True, but you gotta love how crazy he can get with his conspiracy theories," said Spider-Man. "Just so we're clear, this _joy swing_ is purely platonic."

"If you say so," Silver said as she shrugged her shoulder.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN** **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Yuri and MJ are still patrolling the streets for any signs of a Consolidated Shipping truck. MJ has been quiet the whole trip, all because she wanted to forget that Yuri even asked her if she was Spider-Man's girlfriend. Listening to the latest episode of _Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson_ didn't help ease the awkwardness. So, Yuri decided to talk about something else.

"Why do you do this, kid?" asked Yuri. "Help Spider-Man? It's admirable, but it's dangerous."

"He's saved me more times than I can count," said MJ. "I guess you can say he inspired me. I mean, being a reporter has been a dream of mine before Spider-Man, but then I thought that I could use my job to help this city."

"I guess we have that in common," said Yuri. "Being a cop, you stop a robbery here and a mugging there, but working with Spider-Man... you really feel like you're doing something."

"Don't sell yourself too short, Captain," said MJ. "You and your fellow officers may not have spider powers, but the cops still keep this city safe."

"I know," said Yuri.

 _"Yuri!" Spider-Man called. "The Demons are heading for the Manhattan Bridge."_

"We'll be there as fast as we can," said Yuri.

 _"Do not worry. We can end it now," said Silver._

"Uh... you don't happen to be swinging there right now, are you?" MJ asked.

 _"Yeah, why?" Spider-Man replied._

"Is Sable still with you?" asked MJ.

 _"Oh," Spider-Man replied._

Then the wall-crawler hanged up.

"I think those two make a great couple," Yuri teased. "Don't you think?"

"I just don't think a hard-nosed and belligerent girl like Sable is Spider-Man's type," said MJ.

"So, what do you think is his type?" asked Yuri.

MJ didn't answer.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN** **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man and Silver catch up with the Consolidated Shipping truck, which started driving at higher speed once the Demon on the passenger seat spotted them through the side mirror. Spider-Man also went faster as he tried to keep the truck from making it to the Manhattan Bridge.

"Get me closer," said Silver.

"That's what I'm trying to do," said Spider-Man.

"Try harder," said Silver.

Spider-Man swings faster as he closes in on the truck. The back of the truck opens and four Demons started shooting. This didn't help with the whole "swing faster" thing for Spider-Man.

"Again with the mid-chase shooting!" Spider-Man complained.

"What do you expect? That they would just let you on board and offer their behinds for you to kick?" Silver replied.

"Did you just tell a joke?" Spider-Man asked, surprised. "You really are becoming more human."

Suddenly, Silver wraps her legs around Spider-Man as she reaches for her pistol. Spider-Man blushes with embarrassment while Silver tries to get a good shot on the Demons. The swinging wasn't helping, but it wasn't bothering her. Keeping her grip tight on the gun and her eyes trained on the open back of the truck, Silver pulls the trigger and...

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Four shots. Four successful hits. The Demons who were just shooting at them either fell off the truck or fell down dead on their backs in the truck.

"Not bad, but you still couldn't hit me," Spider-Man said.

"Don't jinx yourself," said Silver.

Spider-Man and Silver land on top of the truck. The truck was getting closer and closer to the Manhattan Bridge. If they don't stop it now, it'll be up to the police and the Sable agents waiting at the bridge to stop them. The Demons certainly have no qualms about running them over just to get through.

"By the way, the next time you're gonna squeeze me with your legs, give me a warning," said Spider-Man.

"We did not have time for a warning," said Silver.

Suddenly, gunshots started coming from below. They missed Spider-Man and Silver, so that's fortunate. Silver runs towards the edge and jumps inside of the trailer. She quickly kills the two remaining Demons with a couple of shots. She finds the case she was looking for and opens it. Inside was the other canister filled with Vibranium.

The only Demons left on the truck now are the ones in the front.

Spider-Man crawls on the side of the truck, looks through the driver's seat window, and playfully pokes it to attract the Demons' attention.

"Is this your stop?" Spider-Man joked. He contacts Silver and says, "Silver, get what you need and get out, now!"

Silver takes the case and jumps out of the truck. She softens her landing with well-timed tumbling.

Spider-Man smashes the window by punching it. He immediately webs the Demon driver's hands to the steering wheel, followed by webbing the Demon on the passenger seat so he can't move or do anything. Spider-Man then leaps far and lands in the middle of the road with the truck heading straight for him. Spider-Man fires three web shots to the left and three web shots to the right. He holds on to the three web ropes tight as he stomps on the hood in an attempt to slow down the truck. The front bumper of the truck scratches the road as the the back of the truck is raised a few feet in the air due to the pressure on the front.

The truck slows down even more with each passing second. Spider-Man keeps his feet on the hood as he uses all of his strength to hold on to the web ropes in order to add pressure to his pushing of the hood.

Eventually, the truck stopped completely. Spider-Man lets go of his web ropes stands triumphantly. Silver runs towards him with the case still in hand just to see if he's okay.

Then Spider-Man faints. Silver catches him before he body dropped completely on the road.

"Are you okay?" Silver asked, concerned.

"Any chances Symkaria has a nice, relaxing beach?" Spider-Man replied jokingly.

Silver smiled, mildly amused by the joke and overjoyed that he is fine.

Yuri's car shows up a few seconds later and stops just next to the princess and the vigilante. Yuri and MJ were relieved to see that Spider-Man and Silver were okay. MJ wished she could get out of the car and hug Spider-Man, but with all the witnesses, she couldn't risk it. _Better if Silver is the one rumored to be involved with Spider-Man instead of me_ , MJ thought.

* * *

At the Symkarian Embassy, Silver shows the two canisters of Vibranium in her possession to Spider-Man, MJ, and Yuri. They were standing inside a vault where the Vibranium is to be kept until Silver is ready to give it to King T'Challa.

"All that violence for a shiny piece of metal," Yuri commented.

"As the same with steel and iron, Vibranium can be forged into a weapon," said Silver.

MJ takes a picture of the Vibranium.

"Seriously?" Spider-Man questioned.

"The people have a right to know," said MJ.

"Any chance you can prove to Jameson that Silver and I are not a thing?" asked Spider-Man.

"How? By asking her to record a video of you asking Captain Watanabe out to a grand ball?" Silver replied jokingly.

"Who are you and what have you done to the real Silver Sablinova?" Yuri asked, baffled by Silver's sense of humor.

"The real Silver Sablinova is dead. A new one has come to take her place. Me," Silver replied. "And I intend to do the right thing, the kind the old Silver Sablinova wouldn't."

"All thanks to the honor and valor of the almighty Spider-Cop," Spider-Man said in his gruff voice.

Cue the annoyed groaning from Yuri.

"So, I guess this means you're gonna leaving again, right, Sable?" Spider-Man asked, if being subtly hopeful for this to be true.

"Actually, I think I would prefer to stay in New York for a while," said Silver. "Maybe surrounding myself with friendly faces and a bright atmosphere is what I need to further motivate myself into this new direction I am taking."

"Uh... yippie?" Spider-Man said not-excitedly.

"Thank you once again, Spider-Man," Silver said gratefully. "You keep proving to me that your code of honor is the one I need to emulate."

"Aw, shucks. I just want to make the people of New York smile," Spider-Man said, flattered and embarrassed at the same time.

Silver caresses Spider-Man's masked face before planting a kiss on his cloth-covered cheek. Good thing Spider-Man has a mask on because the look on his face would make Yuri laugh even harder than she is right now. MJ, meanwhile, tried to act the opposite of a jealous girlfriend.

* * *

Back at MJ's apartment, Peter and MJ rest. MJ sits down on the couch with Peter lying down, his head resting on her lap like a little baby boy. Peter didn't mind. He needed rest and closeness with MJ after a tough day. They watch the latest news report on SCN, which tells of Sable International's conflict with the Demons over Vibranium.

"See? No harm in telling everyone," said MJ. "Besides, it'll also catch King T'Challa's attention, which is a good thing."

"Just be careful with what you reveal," said Peter.

And then the news moves on to the videos posted online of Spider-Man swinging around the city with Silver Sable clinging to him. The headline says, "#SilverSpider?"

"And now you two have a ship name? Great," MJ complained.

"I have to admit. It doesn't sound too bad," said Peter.

And then the news shows the video that caught Silver wrapping her legs around Spider-Man. Despite everyone seeing her clearly needing one hand for her weapon, it doesn't stop the people on the internet from thinking that Silver wanted to be in that position.

"Okay, that's it. I am so going to have a talk with that girl about boundaries," MJ said seriously, fed up with Silver flirting with Spider-Man.

Peter sits up and says, "Hey, hey, no need. Look, I get it. Sable likes Spider-Man, but I, Peter Parker, likes you... I mean, _like_. Loused up my grammar there."

"So, you don't really feel anything for Sable?" asked MJ.

"Sable can hit on me all she wants, but you are the one I choose," Peter said firmly and lovingly. He even held both of her hands to prove it.

"You mean it?" asked MJ.

Peter responds with a kiss on the lips, one that MJ happily returns.

"I still want to give her the back-off speech, though," said MJ.

"One day," Peter promised.

* * *

The next day, Spider-Man was swinging around the city following an RFID signal that his phone picked up earlier. The signal leads him to the top of Sanctum Sanctorum. The RFID signal was coming from a metallic case. Spider-Man opens the case and finds one canister of Vibranium. Next to it was a note. It says:

 _I'm sure you'll find some use for it  
_ _You have a good heart_

 _\- Silver_

"Well, I've always wondered what I could do with a Vibranium-made suit," said Spider-Man.

 **Like I told one of the guest reviewers, all you're gonna get out of the Avengers in these one-shots are references. I know that in FanFiction you can do anything, including adding the Avengers to the PS4 Universe. But I'm the kind of writer who actually likes to stick to the restrictions of the movie/TV show/video game canon. I love the Spider-Man PS4 game as it is and while the idea of the Avengers joining the fun is an exciting one, I prefer to keep it as a "Spider-Man and Friends" type of story. I hope that's okay.**

 **As I said before, I can't resist going all SpideyxSilver when Silver Sable is around. But I still love Peter and MJ's romance and I wanna remind everyone who the real couple here is. I guess I'm conflicted. HELP!**


	5. Another Day in New York, Episode 1

**How about we lessen on the intense plots and battles and just explore a normal day for Spider-Man in New York? A very normal day, in fact. Swinging around the city, interacting with civilians, listening to J. Jonah Jameson's talk show... well, you get the point.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for the most recent reviews: treyalexander63917, NeverSparda2099,** ** DiRunner, TheAdamBomb505, Adv Satoshi, Safffzz, guest, Guest(s), lindleya1, The Rookie Author, Zombiedudecool, Spawn Hades, seireidoragon, serpent1234, Daddy ghost, Guest 2099, DaylightOnyx, Emilly, Zoe, blackneo10**

 ** _To DiRunner_: I looked up "Nazis made of bees" and it appears to be the villain called Swarm (has the power to control bees). Well, I'll add him eventually.**

 ** _To Safffzz_: You don't have to be turned around. It's still about MJ and Peter. I'm just having fun with SpideyxSable. But hey, if you're starting to like SilverSpider, then that's good to know.**

 ** _To Guest ("What if MJ got bitten?")_: Yeah, MJ being bitten would've been a nice twist. I mean, it was obvious the spider was for Miles, but seeing the spider crawl on MJ created so much tension and suspense that I'm sure made a lot of people fear the spider will bite MJ. After that, it's hard not to wonder "what if?" Maybe I'll do a "What if?" one-shot where MJ wonders herself what would've happened if she got bitten. Does that sound good?**

 ** _To lindleya1_: Oh, I'll definitely think about a spider swing moment with Yuri. Oh, and thanks for supporting my decision about the Avengers' absence in my story. I'm glad to know someone shares my view. Much appreciated.**

 ** _To The Rookie Author_: "Spider-Cop"... hey, that's actually a nice ship name for Spidey and Yuri.**

 ** _To Dcraus_: Well, I am thinking about adding more Spider-Man villains to the story that didn't appear in the game... as well as villains of other heroes.**

 ** _To Spawn Hades_: Ooh, that's a really bad idea not to mention very wrong (dating two girls NEVER ends well), but the way you worded it kinda amused me for some reason, even though it's dang wrong.**

 ** _To seireidoragon_: Yeah, it's actually pretty fun to throw in a side pair. I love Peter and MJ, but I just wanted to try a little bit of Spidey and Sable.**

 ** _To Guest (involving the Avengers)_: Maybe if I reach my "running out of ideas" phase, I'll consider including an Avenger or two.**

 ** _To Emilly_: Well, there's jealous and then there's crazy jealous. Maybe MJ is crazy jealous on the inside, but I thought I made it clear how she felt. I guess not. Tell me you read Chapter 4?**

 ** _To blackneo10_: Actually, I re-edited Chapter 2 and put "Velocity Suit" as part of the suits that Peter has (in my story, at least). The Vibranium will be used for a suit simply called, well, "Vibranium Suit".**

To (some of) the cops, Spider-Man is a masked vigilante constantly interfering with police-related matters. To J. Jonah Jameson, he's a menace in tights who only cares about glory and could care less if anyone suffers as long as he grabs the fame he craves. To most of the people in New York, he is a hero who fights to protect everyone because it's the right thing to do. To the masked hero himself, he's just a boy who lives in New York. When he's not fighting crime, he's just swinging around the city and waving at his admiring fans below. They cheer and wave and (in the case of plenty of single women) swoon at him.

"Look! It's Spider-Man!"

"Spider-Man! Over here!"

"Take me with you, Spider-Man!"

"Nice suit, Spider-Man!"

"We love you, Spidey!"

"I love you, too!" Spider-Man replied, letting the people know that he cares.

Spider-Man does a little show for the folks with a few 360s in mid-air. They took pictures and videos. Everyone relishes the opportunity to see Spider-Man do something cool, whether it's punching bad guys or swinging around town doing daredevil stunts. In fact, Spider-Man is more of a daredevil than the vigilante called Daredevil that patrols Hell's Kitchen. Daredevil does crazy parkour, but Spider-Man does insane mid-air stunts that almost no one would even try.

"Oh, baby! Livin' the life!" Spider-Man shouted happily.

Spider-Man takes a selfie of himself while gliding in mid-air. He posts it on his Twitter account before he continues swinging. Under the pen name, NYCWebCrawler, Spider-Man has over 15 million followers, which means over 15 million admirers across the country, maybe the world, who are such big fans of him. Best part, he actually replies to his followers' tweets about him. It's just another reason why lots of people love Spider-Man. He listens to and cares about everyone, even what they have to say online. When there's praise, he'll express an "aw, shucks" kind of response. When there's criticism, he shrugs it off and replies casually.

Spider-Man stops on the very top of the Empire State Building as he decides to reply to the latest tweets about him.

EarlyMeyer: My son is gonna be the lead of a school play based on _NYCWallCrawler_. So excited.

Reply from NYCWallCrawler: _EarlyMeyer01_ Really? That sounds great. Mind asking the school if they can send me a video of the whole thing?

RandyGo: _NYCWallCrawler_ just saved me from being mugged. Thanks, Spider-Man! You're the best!

Reply from NYCWallCrawler: _RandyGo99_ Just your Friendly Neighborhood Mugger Puncher doing his job.

ShawnReel: Spent over ten minutes hanging upside down in my Spidey mask. I feel like Spider-Man!

Reply from NYCWallCrawler: Keep working on that.

PinkSil: Just posted my new Spidey fanfic. Explore the Wild West with Spidey. Yee-haw!

Reply from NYCWallCrawler: _PinkSilver33_ Just read it and left a review. Spider-Man in the Wild West, huh? Nice idea. Just try to not make me look too weird. Tip: more cowboy-based puns, but try not to go over-the-top with the cowboy lingo.

VRay: I tried to web-swing like NYCWallCrawler with a rope and a tree branch. I fell into a trash can.

Reply from NYCWallCrawler: Unless you were aiming for the trash can, you did NOT nail it, buddy.

"Man, once you get to know that weird side of a fan base... oh, who am I kidding? I rock!" Spider-Man said. Then he got a notification. "Whoa! Time to check on my approval rating. Approval rating? Heh! I feel like the President."

Spider-Man's fan club, The Spidey Club, started a yearly Twitter poll back in 2013 that asks the question "Spider-Man: Hero or Menace?" With people like J. Jonah Jameson constantly expressing such harsh criticism towards everyone's favorite web-slinger, the fans want Spider-Man to know that he's supported, especially after they discovered that Spider-Man decided to get more involved in social media.

"They really didn't have to do this for me... but it does feel nice to be appreciated," said Spider-Man.

Just as Spider-Man was about to check on his current approval rating, the latest episode of _Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson_ showed up on his notification list. No matter how despicable Jameson can be, Spider-Man loves listening to his non-stop rants and delusional theories.

 _"JARED, WHERE'S MY COFFEE?! I ASKED FOR A DECAF, AND WHAT DO I GET?! A STUPID GLASS OF TEA, THAT'S WHAT! I OUGHTA HAVE YOUR..."_

Jared then reminds Jameson that he's live, causing a bit of embarrassment for Jameson. Spider-Man laughed.

 _Calmly, Jameson says, "Welcome to Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson. As you know, for the past six years, Spider-Man's so-called fan club put up this ridiculous poll every year to determine Spider-Man's approval rating. Seriously? Who do they think he is? The mayor? The president? Well, I just checked the results of this farcical poll and it would seem that Spider-Man's approval rating has risen to... 82%? ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" He then fake-coughs to calm himself down. "I mean, this doesn't prove anything. They're just a bunch of low-information fanboys and fangirls who are so entranced by that web head's so-called heroics that they fail to see what's in front of them. I have with me a member from the New York police department to comment on this matter. Detective Jean DeWolff, thanks for joining us."_

 _"I just want to say, I was once a big supporter of your anti-Spider-Man campaign... but I'm not afraid to say that I've changed my mind these past few months," said Jean._

 _"Why is that?" asked Jameson._

 _"Last year, me and three of my fellow officers were trapped in this burning building with no way out. The arsonist was escaping. Spider-Man had a choice. Chase him and leave us to die or save us and let the bad guy get away. He chose to save me and my co-workers," said Jean. "If he was really the attention-seeking glory hound you claim he is, he wouldn't have done something so selfless."_

 _"And what makes you think this wasn't just a way to get more of the police on his side?" asked Jameson._

 _"He let the bad guy get away to save us, Jameson. There are no words that can describe how commendable that is," said Jean. "That's why I'm now among the 82%."_

 _"Well, in that case, Detective, you are a lost cause," said Jameson._

 _"You've been hating on Spider-Man for eight years, Jameson. I say you're the lost cause," said Jean._

 _"JARED, GET RID OF HER!" Jameson yelled._

And so that ends the latest episode of J. Jonah Jameson's infamous talk show. It really made Spider-Man happy that he's getting more and more support from the police. Many accuse him of trying to take their jobs when he really just wants to help people and be a friendly neighborhood superhero to everyone, including the cops. As for his approval rating, it has risen from last year's rating of 75%. Saving the city from Doctor Octopus and the Devil's Breath really helped turn more of the public to his side. He may care more about protecting people, but, again, it's nice to feel appreciated.

"Welcome to the Spidey Club, Detective DeWolff," said Spider-Man. "I wonder if Yuri votes every year. I mean, I know she supports me, but it would be nice to know if she does vote. Maybe I'll ask her. Speaking of Yuri..."

Spider-Man attached a note to the back of his phone. "Find out Yuri's B-day."

As it turns out, it's Yuri's birthday today. All he has to do now if find a birthday present. He gets back to swinging as he searches for the perfect present. What do you get for the great Police Captain Yuri Watanabe on her special day? _Gum_? No, she has plenty of that stuff in the precinct. _Flowers_? Nah, too cheesy. _Introduce her to a dating website_? She'll probably hate him for that.

* * *

At the NYPD precinct in Chinatown, Yuri was going on about her business, monitoring the crime towers for crime. She just listened to the latest episode of _Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson_ and she kinda smiled when she heard that Detective DeWolff is now a Spider-Man supporter. She usually doesn't care what her co-workers think of Spider-Man, just as long as they don't open fire on him without her consent, but lately, she's starting to understand why Spider-Man tries to be friends with everyone he meets. The more help he gets, the easier it is to protect the city. The more friends he has, the better he feels about himself. The most support he has, the more he believes in his crusade.

She's never tell Spider-Man, but she actually voted in the "Spider-Man: Hero or Menace?" poll. As expected, she's among the 82% who voted "hero." She tolerated him, but what he has done during the whole Demons crisis and the Devil's Breath epidemic, she more than tolerates him now. But she wouldn't tell him that either. His whole "Spider-Cop" routine was enough of a headache.

"Hey, captain," Officer Hanson called. "Happy birthday."

"Don't bother. It's just another day in New York," said Yuri. "Wait, a minute. I never told anyone my birthday."

"Oh, well, there's a birthday present here for you," Hanson said as he showed Yuri a gift box. "I found it on the rooftop. You would not guess who it came from."

Yuri takes the box and reads the tag.

"To my favorite cop in the world. Love, Spider-Man," Yuri read.

"Ooh-ooh-ooh!"

Some of the officers teased her. They know Yuri is in good terms with Spider-Man, but what the tag says made them think of _something else_. Yuri rolled her eyes and just opened the box. Inside the box is...

A coffee mug.

But not just any coffee mug. On one side, it says, "The Chief." The other side has a painting of Spider-Man's face with a cop's hat on his head. It only reminded Yuri of Spider-Man's "Spider-Cop" routine. Yet, instead of feeling annoyed and wanting to throw the cup away, she smiled. The mug reminds her of their partnership and she was proud to call him her partner.

"I think she likes it," one female officer said to her colleagues.

"Should we get her something?" Another cop wondered.

"No one will be getting me anything," said Yuri. "Just get back to work."

"Aye-aye, captain," said an officer as he playfully saluted to her.

All the cops returned to their work while Yuri throws away her old coffee mug, replacing it with the one Spider-Man gave to her. She decides to drink her first cup of coffee with this new mug right now.

"Planning on offering him a badge?" Officer Harrison asked.

"Having him assist the police is enough," said Yuri. "He's gonna have to unmask in order to be deputized."

"You really don't care about who he is, are you?" asked Harrison.

"Is that gonna be a problem, Harrison?" Yuri questioned.

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't either. What he does is enough for me and for this city," said Harrison. "I mean, you've heard about my debate with Jameson that went viral, right?"

"The point of _viral_ is that everyone knows," Yuri said sarcastically.

"Maybe you should talk to Jameson in his next episode," Harrison suggested.

"I support Spider-Man's actions. That's all I want the people to know. I don't have to go in-depth on it," said Yuri. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna enjoy my coffee in peace. I need another break from everyone's crap."

Yuri heads to the roof to drink her coffee in peace. Making sure that no one else is here or coming up here, she takes out her phone and sends a voicemail to Spider-Man.

"Okay, I don't know how you found out which day is my birthday, but... thanks for the gift. Really," said Yuri.

* * *

Somewhere in Central Park, a couple of bullies, Alex and Simon, from ESU were messing with some classmate with glasses, whose name is Milo. They were pushing him around, toying with his glasses, and playing keep away with his backpack. It was attracting a lot of attention, including a certain web-crawler's attention. Spider-Man comes swinging in and everyone stopped and stared/cheered at the costumed superhero.

"Hi. Hello. Hey, there. Don't mind me. Just passing through," Spider-Man greeted casually. "Okay, boys. Leave the poor guy alone, please."

"You think that just because you're Spider-Man, you can order us around?" Alex questioned.

"I'm not ordering anyone around. I'm just asking you nicely to leave... uh... what's your name?" Spider-Man asked the bullying victim.

"Milo," said the guy with glasses.

"Yeah, leave Milo alone," said Spider-Man. "I mean, what's the point?"

"The point is that Milo owes us money, and he still won't pay," said Simon.

"And I told you, I need that money for my project," said Milo.

Alex punches Milo in the face again.

"Okay, that's enough," said Spider-Man. "Look, I don't like bullies. I've had a fair share of them when I was in high school. I'm not just gonna let you guys rough him up. You have to stop."

"Make us, web head!" Alex dared.

Alex goes for a punch, but Spider-Man dodges it easily. Alex keeps on punching, but Spider-Man was too quick. Simon tries to attack from behind, but Spider-Man jumps out of the way, causing Simon to crash into Alex. The crowd oohed and ahhed.

"What are you waiting for, Spider-Man.? Punch them," said Milo.

"Whoa, hey, I am no bully. I punch criminals, yes, but these guys, they're just bullies," said Spider-Man. "They're not worth it."

"WHAT?!" Alex shouted, offended.

Alex goes for another punch, but Spider-Man dodges it and then webs Alex to a tree using Impact Web. Simon attacks, but Spider-Man turns him around, webs his back, and then pushes him down, gluing him to the floor.

"Why don't you guys stick around? Rethink your life choices?" Spider-Man joked.

Some people laughed.

"I think I should do stand-up if this hero stuff gets old," said Spider-Man.

"Hey, thanks, Spider-Man," said Milo.

"Like I said, I don't like bullies. I don't like seeing anyone get bullied," said Spider-Man.

"You could've just punched them, but you didn't. Why?" asked Milo.

"With great power, there must also come great responsibility. If I use these powers to beat up everyone who ticks me off, then how am I better than the bad guys?" Spider-Man said.

"I guess... I guess you're right," Milo admitted.

"Just go kid. Go buy whatever you need for your project. These guys are not gonna stay webbed down for long," said Spider-Man.

Milo quickly runs off to spend his money and what he really needs it for. Spider-Man waves at his adoring crowd before swinging away. Thanks to nearby witnesses, the news and video of Spider-Man "beating up" two university students won't be taken out of context... unless Jameson finds a way to use this against Spider-Man, like he does with everything.

* * *

Spider-Man continues swinging around Manhattan, just having fun and waiting for something to happen. He just listened to the voicemail sent to him by Yuri and he was so happy that she liked his gift. Now he'll be spending the next twelve months figuring out how he can top the mug. But for now, just be New York's Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

Then he picked up something through his crime tower connection.

 _"Units, we have a 10-31 here in Midtown. Two rival gangs shooting at each other. Send backup, now!"_

"Gotta get there fast," Spider-Man said to himself.

Spider-Man swings towards Midtown and sees that there is indeed a shootout occurring between two rival gangs. One gang is dressed like bad boys from the 90s while the other gang look like your modern everyday bad guys with beanies. The police were there to contain the situation, but it ended up being a 3-way gunfight. Both gangs divided their attention to the cops and to each other. So far, no cops have been killed. It's gonna stay that way, and Spider-Man is gonna make sure of that.

"Okay, time to announce my presence," said Spider-Man. "First things first..."

Eight bad boy gang members. Seven beanie gang members.

Spider-Man launches two Concussion Blasts at the bad boy gang and two Trip Mines at the beanie gang. All of the bad boy gang members become dazed from the Concussion Blasts, while four beanie guys were webbed to each other due to the Trip Mines. Spider-Man swings down and webs every gang member's guns away from them. Spider-Man makes a spectacular landing by kicking a webbed-up bad boy gangster to the wall, leaving him stuck there.

"Look, guys, why can't we ever just talk our problems out?" Spider-Man asked jokingly. "I mean..." He webs a beanie gangster's face and slams it to a car hood. "What's the point of shooting each other?" He fires an Impact Web shot at a beanie gangster. "How can we all be friends if we just kill each other?" He web-snatches a webbed-up bad boy gangster and throws it at two of the gangster's friends. He then picks up one of the dropped guns and jokingly asks, "Does this look like a friendly toy to you guys? Are you even old enough to use this stuff?"

"We got no time for jokes, Spider-Man!" One cop shouted.

"Hey, I'm tryin' to educate some kids over here," Spider-Man joked.

Beanie Gangster #7 charges at Spider-Man, but Spider-Man back-flips high to avoid him. He then webs Beanie Gangster #7 in the back and throws it at Bad Boy Gangster #4, knocking them both out.

"Maybe you two can learn to get along," Spider-Man joked.

Without even looking, Spider-Man uses an Impact Web shot at Bad Boy Gangster #5, who was trying to attack him from behind.

"Is he for real?" A cop wondered, turning to his colleagues.

"You wanna stop him?" The other cop questioned.

Only four more Bad Boy Gangsters left. Bad Boy Gangster #5 unleashes some athletic high kicks, but Spider-Man's agility proved to be superior as he dodged these kicks with very athletic ducking and dancing. Spider-Man flip-kicks Bad Boy Gangster #5 into the air, webs him up, and then pulls him down hard, knocking him out. Bad Boy Gangster #6 shows off with some fancy flipping before going for a flying kick. Spider-Man casually side-steps to the left, and then nonchalantly incapacitates him with an Electric Web.

"Thirteen down, two to go," said Spider-Man. "So, which one of you two would like to surrender first?"

Bad Boy Gangster #7 steps aside and lets Bad Boy Gangster #8 take care of it. Bad Boy Gangster #8 is a big one, about 6'4'' with a wrestler's build. He cracks his knuckles as he takes on

"You need help, Spider-Man?" asked one cop.

Spider-Man responds by shooting a web shot at Bad Boy Gangster #7's face.

"Keep an eye on him for me, will ya?" Spider-Man said.

Bad Boy Gangster #8 runs forward and tries to grab Spider-Man, but the web-crawler slides through his legs to dodge his large arms. Spider-Man leaps, webs Bad Boy Gangster #8 to the sky, web-zips himself closer for a two-footed kick to the chest, and then uses his strength to web-throw the gangster to the ground.

"As for your punishment for playing with guns, an early nap and grounded for 15-20 years," Spider-Man finished.

"Thanks, Spider-Man," said one officer. "Jameson is so full of it."

"Tell me about it," another officer agreed.

"Eh, I try to ignore him at times," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man swings away from the scene to enjoy himself more. He gets a call on his phone. It was from Stan Lee, the short order cook from Mick's Restaurant. Peter Parker works there now, for $10 an hour. Plus, he gets a friendly co-worker who covers for him.

 _"Hey, Peter," Stan greeted. "I don't know if you're aware, but you're 20 minutes late."_

"Oh, my go... I'll be right there, Stan," said Spider-Man.

* * *

After dressing up, Peter rushes to Mick's Restaurant to get to work. He assists Stan with some of the meals, such as fries, burgers, and lasagna. Despite his past misfortunes in the kitchen, he insisted on becoming a chef or a cook and Mick's is the best place for him to do just that. He and Stan work well together. He helps Stan cook faster, and Stan helps him not blow up the place. The worst thing Peter has done so far is light the stove on fire. Every other mishap is just a small mess that can be cleaned up.

"Sorry I'm late," Peter apologized as he grabbed a spatula.

"Well, at you weren't forty-five minutes later like last time," said Stan. "Spaghetti with a giant meatball, and make it quick and clean."

Peter gets to work on the spaghetti, as well as the meatball. He rushes back and forth to get the ingredients and tools that will make the spaghetti perfect. He was panicking so much that he ignored his Spider Sense. He accidentally tips the pan off the stove. He reacts in time to kick it, but that only made the hot spaghetti fall on customer's head.

"AAAAAAAGGHH!" The customer screamed in pain as he ran to the bathroom.

"Oh, my... I am so sorry," Peter apologized.

Stan chuckled and said, "You just can't help yourself, can you, Peter?"

"I am really trying my best, Stan. I'm just not the luckiest guy in the kitchen," said Peter.

"Well, I think maybe I can have the manager let you take the day off, to get you head straight," Stan suggested.

"No! I mean... Stan... please, I need this job," said Peter.

"Something tells me that you don't need it that much," Stan theorized.

"No, no, I do. I really do," said Peter. "I mean, I know I'm always late, but that doesn't mean this job isn't important to me."

Stan shakes his head with pity. Peter's a good kid, he can tell, but there's something wrong about him.

"We'll talk after your shift," said Stan.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN** **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Peter gets his $40 after a 4-hour shift. He promised Stan a private conversation when his shift was over. They talked in the back of the restaurant. Peter takes off his apron as he puts on his backpack, which has his Spider-Man suit inside. Once he and Stan are done talking, he'll be leaving.

"Peter, I may be old, but I'm not dumb. I know when you got something else going on in your life," said Stan.

"Are you gonna have Mick fire me for this?" asked Peter.

"Of course not," said Stan. "It's not my position to fire you or keep you around. I just cook."

"Then why are we talking about this?" asked Peter.

"Pete, trying to balance too many things in your life can be a burden," said Stan. "I don't know what you do when you're not here, but I can tell it must mean a lot if you can't even remember to come to work in time."

"Well, it is important. Very important," said Peter. "But not as important as this job. I don't exactly have a future in the science side of life, so this is the best I got."

"I'm always glad to be there for you, Pete, but you gotta figure yourself out first before you're certain you want to go down this zigzagging kind of life," said Stan. "I'm sure MJ wouldn't want that either."

"Trust me. She's a lot of more understanding when it comes to my zigzagging kind of life," said Peter.

"Just take the rest of the day off, Peter," Stan advised. "Go. Enjoy your youth. Plan a special night with MJ. Just be you."

"No problem," Peter promised.

* * *

And so, Spider-Man decided to spend the rest of his day just chilling out... especially since there's no crime to foil. Like Stan said, just be himself.

To the surprise of the people of New York, Spider-Man wasn't swinging around. He was strolling down the streets doing stuff on his phone. Instead of being up there having fun, he's down here just walking through New York like an average person. Still, that didn't stop him from greeting people who wanted hi-fives and selfies from him. He stopped at an ice cream truck just as the latest customer got her order.

"Whoa! Are you Spider-Man?!" The ice cream truck driver asked excitedly.

"Hey, no one can rock the white spider like the real deal," said Spider-Man.

"Oh... wow... wh-what can I get you?" asked the ice cream truck driver.

"I'll have a double scoop. Strawberry and chocolate, in that order," Spider-Man ordered. "Oh, and add some sprinkles, uh... what's your name?"

"Jeffrey," said the ice cream truck driver.

"Got it," Spider-Man saluted.

Jeffrey quickly serves Spider-Man his order. After that, he asked for a selfie. Spider-Man made sure his ice cream cone was in the shot.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN** **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

After eating his ice cream, Spider-Man headed to the basketball court to play basketball with the cool kids. They love it when he comes to visit. With his powers, he can only do what other people wish to do. All the tricks and stunts he can pull off with the basketball, it amazes them. He takes what has been done before and does it ten times better, such as balancing a spinning a ball on his finger while break-dancing, passing the ball from one hand to another.

"Double 360 reverse," one baller dared.

Spider-Man did exactly just that, spinning 360 degrees in mid-air twice before dunking the ball in reverse with two hands.

"Half-court shot. Back turned. No peeking," another baller dared.

Spider-Man stood in the middle of the court with his back turned on the basket. He even covered his eyes. With one hand, he shoots the ball behind his head. To the amazement of the people watching, he made it. No hitting the backboard. No lucky rim bounce. No rattling in. Just a lovely swish.

"Full-court lob to yourself," another baller dared.

Spider-Man throws the ball from the other side of the court. He runs to the other side, jumps, catches the ball, and then dunks it with two-hands. He hangs on the rim for good measure.

"Dude, you are amazing!" One baller complimented. "If you played in professional level, you'd kill it."

"Yeah, but my powers would mean I'm cheating, so I'm better off just coming here and showing off," said Spider-Man.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN** **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

As he does once in a while, Spider-Man takes the subway across the city. Once again, thanks to a fanboy dressed in a Spider-Man suit, no one is losing their minds over Spider-Man being on the train. They just go about their business, looking at their phones, reading newspapers, and waiting for their stop. Spider-Man did the same... with a phone, to be more specific.

"Nice costume," said the young adult girl sitting next to him.

"Thanks," said Spider-Man.

"Maybe you should talk a selfie and post it online. That's the most convincing copy I've seen," said the girl.

"I prefer to feel proud of my own work," said Spider-Man, pretending he's not the real deal.

"Can you imagine doing what he does?" asked the girl. "Swinging around the city, all the adrenaline, saving people...?"

"Well, he keeps New York safe and that's what's most important," said Spider-Man. "But he's so cool, you know."

"Oh, definitely," the girl agreed.

* * *

Just as the sun sets on another normal day in New York, Spider-Man visits the graves of his Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Losing Uncle Ben was hard on him as a 15-year-old, but to lose Aunt May during the Devil's Breath epidemic... it almost destroyed him. He did the right thing saving the cure for the rest of the people, but it cost him a lot. It was a good thing that he still had people in his life who care about him - MJ, Miles, also Yuri (even if she doesn't know who he is), and maybe even Silver (when she's not trying to kiss him) - to help him keep standing on his two feet.

"Hey, Aunt May. Hey, Uncle Ben," Spider-Man started. "Just your Friendly Neighborhood Nephew Peter visiting. I hope you two are happy together, wherever you are. Here I am still trying to make a life for myself. As Spider-Man. As MJ's boyfriend. As Miles' mentor/big brother. As Yuri's partner. As Silver Sable's inspiration... I can't believe I even mentioned that last part. But... I just want to say thank you. You two raised me to be who I am today and I'm proud of both of you. I just hope I'm making you proud."

"I'm sure they are, Tiger."

Spider-Man turns around and sees MJ.

"I thought I'd find you here," said MJ. "Stan told me about your rough day at work and about the millionth time you thought about the lack of balance in your life... so I thought you'd come here for advise from your aunt and uncle."

"You know people will be suspicious if they see you here with me," said Spider-Man.

"I don't care," said MJ. "You need someone by your side right now, and here I am."

MJ hugs Spider-Man. He takes off his mask before hugging her back. If anyone's gonna suddenly show up and see him, they might as well think he's a cosplayer hugging his girlfriend.

"Say, do you wanna... I don't know... have a cup of coffee tonight?" Peter asked.

"Well, I was gonna follow a lead on a weapons-smuggling gang, but then I thought maybe you'd just give the tip to Yuri and we can have fun tonight," said MJ.

"Mary Jane Watson, you are the bravest woman I have ever met," Peter complimented.

 **To be honest, this was just to pass the time. I needed more time to think so I thought I'd just post a normal chapter. Maybe this was a little too packed, but I tried to make sure it's not too long. Don't worry. I'll try to come up with something a little more colorful for the next chapter.**


	6. Mary Jane Watson: Super Spy

**How about we take some time away from Spider-Man and focus on MJ?**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I'd really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: Spawn Hades, gammaxmen80, josephguy217, Safffzz, lindleya1, Guest(s), Guest 2099, ZOE, Emilly, seireidoragan**

 ** _To Spawn Hades_: Yeah, it sucks there wasn't a Spider-Cop costume. Fingers crossed it will happen one day. LONG LIVE SPIDER-COP!**

 ** _To lindleya1_: Actually, in the beginning of the game, we can see sticky notes that Peter puts up to remind himself of things. One of the sticky notes says "Find out Yuri's B-Day" which probably means he doesn't know what day is her birthday. In this story, he just happened to find out the date of Yuri's birthday barely in time. That's why he had to rush to get a gift. Oh, and thanks for understanding the purpose of the normal chapter. I try to take things less crazy, reminding myself that New York doesn't have to have a hug crisis every day.**

 ** _To Guest 2099_: I'm still working out on when and how Yuri will find out, though I say it's too soon for Silver to know. I wanna keep exploring her relationship with "Spider-Man", not Peter Parker (not yet, at least).**

 ** _To ZOE_: Ah, I'm not so sure about your idea. Don't get me wrong. It sounds like fun drama to write, but... oh... But I guess I could try thinking of something similar. Thanks.**

 ** _To Emilly_: I'm not exactly THAT kind of romantic writer (last time someone asked me to get very steamy with a couple, I hated writing it so much I deleted the story). There's pleasing the readers and then there's me being comfortable with what I'm writing.**

MJ wakes up after goodnight sleep. She heads to the living room of her apartment to see that the couch was empty, and the window was open. Obviously, Peter Parker had to dress up as Spider-Man and leave immediately, without even having or cooking breakfast. After shutting the window, MJ turns on the TV as she prepares breakfast for herself. Sure, she doesn't mind cooking, but ever since Peter moved in, he kept on insisting that he does the cooking. It helped MJ focus on other things in the morning.

"What will I do without you, Peter Parker?" MJ thought out loud.

As MJ cooked, she looked at the TV to see what's new. The latest news report actually caught her attention. She turned up the volume as she tried to make sure she didn't overcook the egg.

 _"... the criminal gang known as The Russians have raided Wilson Fisk's auction house and stole unspecified valuables. Chief archivist Rose Rosemann refused to comment on what was stolen, but she did reveal that The Russians sneaked in without setting off any silent alarms. Witnesses have claimed that men who fit the description of The Russian drove off in a white van..."_

"I smell a story," MJ said excitedly.

Unfortunately, in her excitement, she overcooked her egg. It's just a piece of plastic now.

"Well done, MJ," MJ scolded herself.

MJ tosses the egg into the trash can and settles for a PB&J. She wanted to get started on this story right away. But first, she had to go to the Daily Bugle to clock in for work. After that, she's heading straight to the auction house to ask some questions. She grabs her coat, her camera, her ID, and, most importantly, her stun gun. Bringing a weapon to work is a one-way ticket to being fired, but she made sure to keep it hidden. It's helped her many of times and she's not about to give it up now.

"Ready for another day of crime-fighting journalism?" She said, talking to the stun gun.

After hiding her stun gun in her coat, she turns off the TV and prepares to head out. Before that, she had to say goodbye to a certain someone sitting on the living room table. A Spider-Man plushie. Peter thought it was cute that she bought one and kept it after all this time. MJ promised she'd never throw it out.

"I'll see you later," MJ said to the plushie.

MJ kisses the plushie and places him on the couch before leaving.

* * *

MJ arrives at the Daily Bugle just in time. Unlike Peter with everything, she always arrives on time. Only a handful of workers were at the place, all having decided to come to work early like MJ. MJ goes over the files on her desk, filled with stories that she planned to look into. But for today, she was going to help Spider-Man and the police find The Russians. Even though Robbie is already aware of her constant searches for dangerous stories, she had to ask him for an assignment that she can work on along with her personal project.

"Hey, Betty," MJ greeted the chief editor's secretary.

"Early as always, MJ?" Betty replied.

"You know me," said MJ. "Is Robbie in?"

"He should be coming in a few minuets," said Betty. "Why, are you gonna ask for an assignment that you're just gonna blow off again?"

"Hey, I don't do that... all the time," MJ said awkwardly.

Eddie Brock shows up and says, "You should be lucky Jameson doesn't run this place anymore. I mean, Robbie can be forgiving, but Jameson would fire you after so many lawsuits against the Bugle."

"Well, then I'm lucky Jameson isn't here anymore," said MJ.

"Speaking of Jameson," said Eddie.

Eddie just got a notification on his phone saying that the latest episode of Jameson's talk show, _Just the Facts_ , is live right now. He listens to it with MJ and Betty.

 _"Welcome to Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson," Jameson started. "Today, we're gonna talk about a very simple topic. Photography. As former editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, I know all about the importance of photography. It's an activity that allows you to appreciate the brighter pictures of the world and cherish special moments with your friends and family. Then there are those who do it just to get attention on the internet, Spider-Man included. Ever since he started this one-man crusade, he's been seen taking pictures of New York's most famous landmarks. And I can't believe it took me this long to wonder this... what if Spider-Man pursued a career in photography instead of vigilantism?" Calmly and casually, he says, "Well, then all the property damage and crises we've suffered for the past eight years would've been averted. Maybe I should've offered him a job. In fact, I could use a new intern... JARED, GET OUT OF MY BREATHING AREA!"_

"Poor Jared," MJ said sympathetically. "Maybe we should offer him a job here."

"And face Jameson's wrath after five of years of not being yelled by him? I say, let Jared suffer for all I care," Eddie said half-jokingly.

"Imagine if Spider-Man did work for the Bugle. With his powers, we could've gotten some cool shots for the paper," said Betty.

"Well, he's got better things to do, like keeping our city safe," said MJ.

"Eh, he's not all that," said Eddie. "If you ask me, that web head's nothing but a show-off."

"He's saved my life more than once, Eddie. I can tell he does this out of the goodness of his own heart," said MJ. "You're just salty 'cause he broke your camera that one time."

"Hey, that camera was really expensive," said Eddie.

"Be glad Robbie pays you better than Jameson," said MJ.

"Yeah, if you ask me, Parker picked a bad time to quit," said Eddie. "He'd make more cash working for Robbie than he ever did with Jameson."

"Well, he's okay with what he can earn at Mick's," said MJ.

"How are you two, by the way?" asked Betty.

"We're, well, we're doing fine," said MJ.

"Is he planning to propose yet?" Eddie teased.

"Whoa, we only just got back together a month ago. Too soon to be thinking about marriage," said MJ.

"Hey, at least you two get to spend some crazy nights together, if you know what I mean," Eddie said as he winked in a teasing manner.

"He sleeps on the couch, FYI," said MJ.

Robbie finally shows up. He greets his employees a good morning before heading into his office, which was once Jameson's office. The Bugle has gotten a better reputation and better feedback from the staff ever since Robbie took over. It's like no one misses Jameson.

"Morning, Robbie," MJ greeted as she entered his office.

"Chasing a new story, Ms. Watson?" Robbie guessed.

"Hey, I promise I'll actually do it this time," said MJ. "So, what do you got for me?"

"Well, just in case you're gonna go rogue again, you can go to the NYPD and get a work from Captain Watanabe about the Demon shootout yesterday," said Robbie. "Think you can handle that."

"Well, I do have a friend who really helps me get close to the police," said MJ.

"Just try and stay out of trouble, MJ," said Robbie. "You're one of our best reporters. I don't want to have to be forced to fire you one day."

" _One of the best_ , Robbie? I'm offended," MJ joked.

"When Jameson ran this place, he ran it the way he published newspapers. With toughness, intensity, and a no-holds-barred mentality," said Robbie. "But I'm not Jameson. I want to publish papers that capture the people's attention and keeps the Bugle as a trusted source of information. Having an extremely nosy associate editor isn't a good look for us."

"I know that, Robbie," said MJ. "That's why I only stick my nose in important and necessary."

"Look, MJ, I know you're a big Spider-Man fan and I know he's an inspiring figure, but don't go using that inspiration for dangerous means," said Robbie. "I would hate to look at Peter in the eye if I let something bad happen to you."

"It's nice that you care, Robbie, but I'm just doing my job," said MJ.

"You're my associate editor now. You don't have to do this anymore," said Robbie.

"I know, but I want to," said MJ. "Sitting here proofreading, choosing which story to prioritize, and yelling at Eddie are all worth it, but I want to be my own kind of associate editor."

"Then remind me why you're the future of this building," Robbie said with a confident smile.

"No problem, Robbie," MJ replied.

* * *

MJ heads to Wilson Fisk's auction house to talk to Rose Rosemann. Some officers were present at the scene and there was no way they were gonna let MJ just walk in. So, she sneaked her way in. Fortunately, Rose was alone in backroom. Using one of Peter's special lures (beeping devices) to lure two guards away from the door, she sneaks her way inside to see Rose on the phone with Craig, her DA friend.

"I don't care if you have to go to the meeting. Just make sure the police don't dig too deep into this," Rose said. "If word gets out..."

Rose stops when she saw MJ, who just waves and smiles casually at her.

"I'm gonna have to call you back," Rose said to her DA friend.

Just as Rose was about to call security, MJ reaches into her coat and threatens to pull out her stun gun. To scare Rose, she only kept the handle and trigger in view so that the curator would think it's an actual gun. Rose puts her phone down and puts her hands in the air. MJ didn't want to do resort to threats, but Rose's hostility towards her due to their previous encounter left her no choice.

"I could have you arrested for threatening me with a firearm," Rose said threateningly.

"I know, but right now, I need you to cooperate," said MJ. "The Russians. What did they steal?"

"I am not at liberty to say," Rose said firmly.

"You could've just told the police what was stolen to make their search easier. You didn't," said MJ. "Which can only mean that Wilson Fisk didn't want you to tell anyone about it. It must be something important. Something worth billions, A weapon of some sort, it could be anything."

"You are aware that there are a dozen cops outside waiting for me," Rose pointed out.

"True, but I heard them say that you told them not to come in here without your consent, so we're safe here," said MJ. "Now, what did The Russians steal?"

"Even if I wanted to tell you, I can't," said Rose.

"Wilson Fisk is in prison, and he's not coming out, like, ever," MJ reminded. "Let me cut you a deal. If you tell me what the Russians stole, I won't reveal the info in the paper. I'll just tell them that the stolen item has been retrieved but you still refused to comment about it."

"How can I be sure you'll keep your work and keep your mouth shut?" asked Rose.

"That's where the second deal comes in," said MJ. "If you agree to an exclusive interview in the future, then I won't say a word."

"This is ludicrous," said Rose.

"I need info. You need me to keep my mouth shut. You tell me what I want, I don't shoot you. You agree to a future interview, I don't tell anyone what The Russians stole," MJ recapped. "Deal?"

Rose sighs and says, "Deal."

"Okay, then let's get to the answers," MJ said as she started video-recording.

"The Russians stole a golden Greek vase that is sealed shut. Whatever is inside must be worth a lot to them," said Rose. "I swear, I don't know what Wilson Fisk kept in that thing, but it must be worth a fortune if these terrorists want to get their hands on it."

"Did the Russians mention anything that could give me a hint where they could be?" asked MJ.

"They mentioned something about Yorkville," said Rose.

"Must be where they're hiding," MJ guessed.

"I am trusting you to keep that big mouth of yours shut, Ms. Watson," Rose said threateningly.

"As long as you don't tell anyone I came to you with a gun, I won't tell anyone about what's inside that vase," said MJ. "Now... I need to sneak out, but the guards will see me walk out the door. Do you mind helping me get outside?"

Rose sighs, annoyed, but reluctantly agreed.

* * *

MJ takes a cab to Yorkville. During the ride, she decided to contact Spider-Man. Just as she was about to text him, she gets a news notification on Spider-Man's latest activity. He was recently seen dealing with a hostage situation at the Brooklyn Bridge involving the Russians. This was clearly a distraction to keep Spider-Man away from what's really important. The vase.

"Oh, Peter," MJ said worriedly.

MJ is dropped off at Yorkville. She started looking around for places where the Russians could have hidden. Remembering that the Russians were said to have fled the scene in a white van, she looked around for a vehicle matching that description. Clearly, the Russians wouldn't have stored their white van somewhere where it can give away their location. But that begs the question, where is the white van?

Fortunately, an answer showed in the form a burning white van that seemed to have crashed into a building. People were all over the scene, wondering how it could've happened. There was only one dead body in the scene. The driver.

MJ takes pictures.

"Okay, so if the Russians planned to stage this van crash to keep the cops off their trail, then where would they have placed themselves before executing the plan?" MJ wondered.

MJ takes a look around the whole area. There's no way the Russians could have abandoned the white van in this area without being seen. It took her almost half an hour, but she found something.

Three white vans parked in a very wide alleyway.

"Gotcha," MJ said.

MJ takes out her phone and takes a picture of the vans. She sent the picture and a text message to Spider-Man, saying "Yorkville. Come quickly once you're done at the bridge."

MJ then searched the area for any possible Russian hideouts. She came across a rusty old warehouse. Given how criminals like to use warehouses as bases of operation, MJ knew the Russians had to there. Plus, there are five armed thugs outside speaking in a language she can't speak.

"Razve eto ne brosayetsya v glava?"

"Zatknis i sledi za politseyskimi!"

"Nache otvlecheniye srabotalo. Ne nuzhno volnovat'sya."

Obviously, the Russians. The rest must be inside the warehouse guarding the vase that they stole from Wilson Fisk's auction house. With Spider-Man still occupied at the Brooklyn Bridge, MJ knew she had to go in there herself.

"Okay, Mary Jane Watson, time to go all Super Spy on these guys," MJ said to herself.

Keeping a tight grip on her stun gun, she sneaks in and hides behind a crate to keep herself hidden from sight. Seeing two Russians just around the corner, she uses a Spider Lure to lure them away from her path. She race-walks passed the two Russians and hid behind a car.

"These things work like a charm," said MJ, referring to the Spider Lures.

MJ sees/hears a Russian heading her way. She had to hide until the Russian walked passed her. Fortunately, he didn't see her. Not willing to risk him turning around and spotting her when she sneaks away, she tasered him with her stun gun. She dragged his body under the car so no one will notice.

"Imagine if they made a video game about me. It'd be so cool. Mary Jane Watson: Super Spy. Maybe they could put me in a super cool spy suit with some pretty cool gadgets," MJ imagined. Looking at her stun gun, she says, "But for now, _this_ works just fine for me."

She then sneaks her way pass the other two Russians, who were distracted by their fellow distracted comrades, and to the front door. She checked the nearest window first to make sure no one would see her walk into the door. MJ rushed inside while trying to not make any noise. The door squeaked a little. She quickly hid behind a pile of crates to avoid detection.

"Agent MJ infiltrates the enemy base. Now, to accomplish her mission. Retrieve the golden vase," MJ narrated. Shen then realized she sounded like Peter, who loved narrating his adventures. "Huh? I can see why Peter loves doing this. It really boosts your confidence and makes the adventure more worth it."

MJ takes out her phone and records the conversation between six Russians.

(The following conversation is spoken in Russian in the story, but will be written in English subtitles)

"Have you gotten that darn vase open yet?" Russian #1 asked impatiently.

"I used a blowtorch, a chainsaw, and a freakin' wrench. It won't even crack," said Russian #6.

"We have to move. Our distraction won't work forever," said Russian #2.

"Our boys at the bridge are gonna make sure Spider-Man stays there," said Russian #3.

"I just got a call from Maks. Our ride to Williamsburg Bridge is ready," said Russian #4.

"Good. Let's pack up and get moving," said Russian #5.

"Not on my watch," MJ muttered.

MJ stops her recording and hides again, planning her attack. Until Spider-Man comes, MJ is on her own. Besides, there are four Russians outside who will spot her if she just leaves. All she can do now is try to stay undetected and keep the Russians in the warehouse until the man in the red spider-themed suit arrives.

"I hope you're done at the bridge, Peter," MJ hoped. "If things go bad, I might need to be saved. But for now, Agent MJ must push forward and complete her mission."

MJ takes out another one of her Spider Lures and throws it near the Russians. Three of them went to check the noise while the other three continued preparing to move the vase.

"Okay, I can't sneak up on them and tase them without drawing attention," MJ said to herself. "Think, MJ, think. What would a secret agent do?"

MJ looks up and sees that the warehouse has a sprinkler system. Looking around for things to set on fire, she finds a box of matches and some newspapers lying on the floor. After crushing the newspapers together, she lights it up with the match. She quickly ran to another hiding place as the smoke from the fire reached the sprinklers, causing them to automatically turn on.

"Kakogo cherta?" Russian #1 wondered, confused.

"Kto vklyuchil sprinklery?" asked Russian #4.

And it worked. All the Russians are scattered. MJ throws two more of her Spider Lures just in case. Using the noise of the sprinklers and the lures, MJ sneaks her way through the Russians to get to the vase. Unfortunately, it was heavy. In her attempt to lift it, she ended up dropping it on the floor, causing a loud metallic thud that attracted attention.

MJ quickly hides just as the Russians turn their attention back to the vase.

"Okay, Agent MJ, what now?" MJ asked herself.

Just when it looked like MJ was doomed to be spotted, one of the Russians was kicked in the back by...

"Did someone leave the water running?"

Spider-Man. A great entrance followed by his trademark humor.

The Russians started shooting at Spider-Man. Spider-Man does a series of back-flips to avoid the bullets. He slipped a bit due to the wet floor, but he stayed up and fought.

"I don't mean to sound offensive, but... ty vonyayesh!" Spider-Man said, trying to speak Russian.

Spider-Man webs up Russian #1 and then web-zips himself towards him, kicking him down to the ground. Spider-Man keeps dodging bullets and then reaches Russian #2, jumping off the wall and punching him hard in the face. Spider-Man webs up Russian #3, hits Russian #4 during the wind-up, and then throws Russian #3 at Russian #5.

Russian #6 is the only one left. Spider-Man dodges his bullets until he was all out.

"I've been working on a new move. I think I'll try it on you," said Spider-Man.

Russian #6 attempt to reload quickly. Spider-Man slingshots himself into the air by webbing the ceiling, does two 360s in the air, and then finishes with an outside kick to the face, knocking out Russian #6.

"I learned that from a soccer TV show," said Spider-Man.

MJ quickly runs towards Spider-Man and hugs him.

"Okay, your suit's all wet," said MJ.

"I can say the same for your hair," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man moves a wet streak away from MJ's eye so he can look at both of them.

"I got your message," said Spider-Man. "I had to finish up at the bridge as fast as I can. Looks like I arrived just in time."

"Believe me, I had things under control," said MJ. "But then I almost got caught because of _that_."

MJ pointed at the golden vase on the floor.

"It was what the Russians stole from Wilson Fisk's auction house," MJ explained. "Don't know what's inside it. Not even Rose Rosemann knows. But whatever's inside must be worth the Russians trying to steal it. They couldn't open it, though. Blowtorch, chainsaw, wrench, that didn't work."

"Well, whatever it is, we better give it to the police," said Spider-Man.

"Ooh, that's _not_ gonna help me get that interview with Rosemann," said MJ.

"What did you do?" Spider-Man asked with a scolding tone.

"Let's just go," said MJ. "I'm gonna be charged with blackmail and battery."

Spider-Man sighs with annoyance as he puts his arm around MJ and swings out of the warehouse through a hole in the ceiling.

* * *

Back in MJ's apartment, MJ was bracing herself for the police to come barging into her door and arresting her for sneaking into a crime scene and threatening a citizen (Rose Rosemann) with a lethal weapon. MJ hugged the Spider-Man plushie and held it very close to her like a little girl. Peter sat next to her and rubbed her shoulders gently in an attempt to calm her down. The two watched the news just in case the call for MJ's arrest is reported.

"Hey, relax. Maybe Rosemann will come to her senses," Peter said positively.

"I walked into her auction house illegally, snooped around, and played the nosy reporter's version of 20 questions while recording her face. I don't think there's a chance she and I can be on good terms," said MJ. "I promised her that the police would never find out about the vase, but now they have it."

"Well, if we're lucky, you'll be in jail for less than a month," said Peter. "I'll come visit you daily so you won't feel alone."

"Thanks, Pete," MJ smiled.

So, they waited and waited and waited... all that showed up on the news is MJ's story of Spider-Man recovering the golden vase that belonged to Wilson Fisk's auction house. Nothing about Rosemann pressing charges on MJ.

"Whew," MJ sighed with relief.

"See, it all worked out in the end," said Peter.

"But we still don't know what's in the vase," said MJ. "Some kind of WMD or something? And for it to be stored in Wilson Fisk's auction house of all places?"

"Hey, another time," Peter pleaded. "Right now, let's celebrate. You did pretty well out, apart from dropping the vase, that is."

"Celebration can only last long. Special Agent MJ's mission is never done. There are other secrets in this city just waiting to be exposed," MJ narrated.

"Are you... narrating your adventures?" Peter asked, surprised.

"I can see why you think it's fun," said MJ. "Your story is called _Spider-Cop_. Mine is _Mary Jane Watson: Super Spy_."

"Wow!" Peter exclaimed cheerfully. "Finally, someone who understands how I feel."

"Don't get used to it," MJ warned playfully. "But since _Mary Jane Watson: Super Spy_ is a thing now, I think I need a partner."

"I thought we were partners," said Peter.

"Oh, I wasn't talking about you," said MJ. "I'm talking about _this_ little guy."

MJ gestured to the Spider-Man Plushie.

"Agent MJ and Agent SP, fighting crime and writing stories together," MJ said in narration mode.

"SP?" asked Peter.

"Spider Plushie," MJ clarified.

"Oh, come on! What does he have that I don't?" asked Peter.

"He's super soft and fun to cuddle with," MJ said, cuddling the plushie.

"I can be fun to cuddle with," said Peter. Realizing how that sounds, he says, "I-I mean... i-i-i-if you want to cuddle... only if you want to, I swear, I wasn't gonna do it without permission, I swear... wait, did I already say, _I swear_?"

MJ giggles as she hits Peter in the cheek with Spider Plushie's little hand.

* * *

The golden vase has been returned to Rose Rosemann. She made sure to keep it somewhere extra secure this time and somewhere hidden. She then gets a video call from the Raft. It was her boss, Wilson Fisk. His unhappy face graced the screen of her phone.

"You almost cost me my only piece of Stark's Repulsor tech," Fisk said unhappily.

"I swear, I will never let it get taken again," Rose promised.

"You better hold on to that," Fisk said threateningly. "I'm still stuck here while that infernal Spider-Man continues to loot from my empire. Pray I don't hear about your blunders on the news again."

 **So, what do you think? Give me your full, honest opinion.**

 **Notes:**

 **\- Yup, a near fourth wall break moment occurred with MJ wishing she could be part of a video game. She is, after all, a playable character in the Spider-Man PS4 game.**

 **\- SPIDER-PLUSHIE! (So cute!)**


	7. Another Day in New York, Episode 2

**I think it's time for yet another "normal day in New York" chapter. But instead of just Spider-Man, I'm gonna focus on all the characters on the cover photo - Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Miles Morales, Yuri Watanabe, and Silver Sable.**

 **A/N: You're probably gonna notice that there's almost no dialogue in this chapter, so I'm just gonna tell you why. When I thought about writing this chapter, I imagined it as a TV episode that was mostly told through actions and facial expressions with music playing in the background for 22 minutes. If that turned out to be a good or bad idea, please let me know. Maybe try listening to some relaxing music while you read. I hope it helps.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: NevarSparda2099, DiRunner, Safffzz, josephguy217, guest, Panther-10, ZOE, Guest, seireidoragon, Dylan**

 ** _To NevarSparda2099_: Don't worry. We'll have the full house. Miles will soon get his own name in the Spider-Cop story, as soon as he gets his superhero name first.**

 ** _To Safffzz_: Lol yeah, that would be cute to see**

 ** _To Panther-10_: Well, I wouldn't say it's a 4-way love thing since Peter is more than fully committed to MJ, but I couldn't help but ship him with Yuri ("Need a date to the policeman's ball?") and Silver (and remember, I shipped SilverSpider BEFORE I discovered that they had a kiss in the comics) so I decided to have some fun along the way. Having Silver flirt with Spider-Man... Spider-Man and Yuri playing the flirting game just for laughs... it's lots of fun to write. But it's hard to say it's a 4-way love thing. Also, MJ is 23 years old, Silver is 36, and Yuri is 38. At least Peter is an actual adult (23 years old) in the PS4 universe, or else shipping him with Yuri and Silver would be way way WAY weirder.**

 ** _To ZOE_: I don't have a definitive description of the schedule of my updates. It really depends on several factors: time to come up with ideas, time to write these ideas, real life events that keep me busy, sleep, etc.**

 ** _To Guest ("What if MJ got bitten?")_: Thanks for the response and suggestions for the "What it?" one-shot with MJ. By the way, the next time you leave a review, can you please use a nickname? Something simple like "Webs4Life" or "Spidey01" or "Guest123" so I don't have to keep writing "What if MJ got bitten?" to make it clear whose "Guest" I'm replying too. It'll make it easier for me to respond to your reviews.**

Peter Parker literally woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. He had to stop three muggings, a bank robbery, and two car chases last night and he couldn't sleep until it was two hours past midnight. He returned to his new apartment and just collapsed on his bed with his head where his feet are supposed to be. He didn't even bother to change. He slept in his Advanced Suit. Fortunately, he has a wake-up alarm on his phone that plays loud heavy rock music at 7 AM. He immediately wakes up and turns off the alarm as he takes off his mask.

Time to get ready for another day in New York. Peter gets out of his suit and takes a shower. After his shower, he gets to work on his many many suits _(See beginning of Chapter 2 to see the special suits that exist in this story)_ , all packed in separate labeled boxes.

 _I have got to use these some time_ , he thought.

True, he's only ever worn the Advanced Suit these past four months. The Homemade Suit is simply a reminder of his beginner years. It's been six years since he's worn the Stark Suit. He's only worn the Iron Spider suit when he teamed up with the Avengers to fight aliens. He's only worn the Electrically Insulated Suit when he fought Vulture and Electro. He ditched The Dark Suit immediately after receiving it from Black Cat, but decided to keep it after the Devil's Breath chaos. He hasn't worn the Anti-Ock Suit since his fight with Doctor Octopus. He has yet to wear the Velocity Suit and the Stealth Suit.

 _Speaking of suits, I haven't even started on that Vibranium suit yet_ , he thought.

Peter opens the box that contains the Vibranium canister, courtesy of Silver Sable. It's just hard to find time to work on it. Fortunately, he has time right now and Octavius Industries' lab is still available. Peter called in a favor from ex-mayor Norman Osborn to keep Otto Octavius' lab available for him so he can work on his tech. He had to promise to think about working at Oscorp in order for Norman to grant him this favor. His cover story for the lab is that he wants to tinker and experiment to test himself for Oscorp. Norman bought it.

 _But until then, how about we celebrate Throwback Thursday_ , he thought.

After toasting bread and brewing coffee for himself, Peter puts on the Stark Suit, the suit that Tony Stark himself made for him as a gift for helping the Avengers. He looked at himself in the mirror. He felt like he was in high school again, since that's when he was given this suit. _Those were good times_ , he thought. When he started out as Spider-Man, all he had to worry about were bank robbers, muggers, J. Jonah Jameson, and school. Right now, it's supervillains, rent, a relationship with MJ, and J. Jonah Jameson. Okay, so Jameson is the one thing that hasn't changed about his life.

 _Time to say good morning to the people of New York_ , he thought.

Spider-Man grabs the Vibranium canister and then jumps out the window, beginning his swing towards Octavius Intrudstries. As usual, he smiles and waves at the people cheering him from below.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mary Jane Watson wakes up as the sun rises on beautiful Manhattan. She half-expected Peter to be camping out her window, but was sort of disappointed when he wasn't. He does it almost every day. Sometimes, he likes to spend the morning with her. But looks like MJ is all by herself for this morning. She doesn't mind. She could use the quite morning.

MJ started by cooking herself some soup. While she waited for the soup to boil, she checked on Spider-Plushie, who sits on the couch like its his home. She's been thinking about taking him with her on her missions. First, she had to put him to the test.

 _You wanna join Agent MJ, Spider Plushie, then you gotta learn to do this the Agent MJ way_ , she narrated in her mind.

She turns off the stove so she doesn't overheat the soup while she does a little something. She decided to set up a criminal base in her apartment, taping paper plates on walls and furniture and drawing angry faces on then, pretending they're criminals. MJ holds her stun gun in one hand and Spider-Plushie on the other. They start from the front door, attempting to work their way to the bedroom.

There were two "thugs" on the couch, and MJ needs to use the coffee table in front of the couch to get pass them.

 _Okay, Spider-Plushie, do you thing_ , she said mentally.

MJ crawls low on the floor and places Spider-Plushie on the coffee table, distracting the thugs. She keeps crawling low to avoid being spotted. When she finally made it past the coffee table, she pulls on the string that was tied around Spider-Plushie's leg, pulling the toy back towards her. She hi-fives with Spider-Plushie for a job well done.

MJ has to get past the next thug, which is an angry face on a paper plate taped to a lamp. MJ takes out her stun gun and sneaks up on the lamp. She pretends to shock it to unconsciousness, vibrating her hand and making electric noises just for the sake of it. MJ sneaks her way to the kitchen, but the way to her bedroom is blocked by another thug (a big pot with a paper plate/angry face taped on it).

 _Time to double-team_ , MJ thought.

MJ places Spider-Plushie on the counter to "distract" the thug. She crawls low to avoid directing attention away from the plushie. She takes out her stun gun and "stuns" the thug. She grabs Spider-Plushie and rushes to her room, where they found a file containing the "story" they need.

MJ hi-fives with Spider-Plushie again, this time for a job well done.

Now that she was done playing around, she eats her breakfast, gets dressed, and leaves her apartment to start her day at the Daily Bugle... with her stun gun and Spider-Plushie tucked in her parka just in case.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Miles Morales sometimes forgets that he's only 16 years old. Between F.E.A.S.T. and being Spider-Boy (still haven't found a better nickname), he forgets that he's still a high school student who has to endure school tests, bullies, and curfews. You would think a super smart boy like Miles would be very studious. Being a superhero-in-training made him too excited to just get out of school and swing around the streets of New York. Fortunately, Peter gave him lectures on balance between school and superhero-ing.

Miles takes a look at his homemade suit, just eager to put it on and get out there. Unfortunately, he has school today, so swinging around has to wait until after school hours. He quickly gets to work on the Electric Webs that he asked from Peter. There was something very unusual about his powers that involved electricity. It was as if his fingers attract and/or create electricity.

 _Strange_ , he thought. _Didn't MJ say the spider that bit me had bio-electrokinesis?_

He and MJ haven't told Peter about Miles' electric powers. He didn't want to alarm Peter and make him treat him more like a baby. Miles wanted to learn how to control this on his own. He thought that learning how to use Electric Webs could be the first step to him mastering his electric powers. Just placing his fingers close to anything electrically-powered activates his powers.

 _It doesn't even hurt_ , he felt. _Cool, though._

Then Miles' mother, Rio, called him from downstairs. It was time for breakfast. Miles quickly packed up his stuff, including his suit and web shoots, and ran downstairs. He ran on the wall, using his adhesive powers, on the way down and landed safely. Fortunately, his mother didn't see it. As far as she knows, he just jumped down from three or four steps up.

After eating breakfast and brushing his teeth, Miles sneaks into the back to change into his homemade suit. One benefit of having spider powers and web shooters: he doesn't have to worry about being late to school anymore.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Yuri Watanabe, police captain of the NYPD, couldn't even get a good night sleep in the City That Never Sleeps. Last night's plethora of crimes involved a lot of driving, paperwork, and lectures from her boss. Spider-Man's reckless actions lead to hundreds to thousands of dollars of property damage, but as long as he gets the job done, she gives him a pass. Yuri ended up sleeping on the dining table in her apartment, but she woke up just in time to get ready for work.

 _My head is killing me_ , she mentally complained. _Maybe I should start taking aspirin._

Since she has no aspirin, she settles for a cup of fresh coffee and morning news. Reports of Spider-Man's heroics from last night were on and Yuri wonders about what she was going to do with him. She respects him and supports his actions, but tolerating the damage he causes is becoming more and more difficult. Between the helicopter incident, the train, and last night's rubble-palooza, she was beginning to wonder if she needs to add more parameters to her partnership with the web crawler.

 _Remember, Yuri, he's the hero this city needs_ , she reminded herself. Jokingly, she adds, _If not, might as well get yourself some spandex_.

Yuri pours her coffee into the mug that Spider-Man gave her for her birthday. She keeps it with her at all times. At the precinct. At her apartment. She's not going to let anything happen to it. She wouldn't tell Spider-Man that, of course. He'd just let it go to his head.

 _Speaking of Spider-Man, time to go to work_ , she remembered.

After finishing her coffee, she takes her birthday mug to her car and drives to the Chinatown precinct.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Silver Sable's insistence on spending more time in New York has caused some controversy. Given Sable International's contemptible actions during the Demon attacks and the Devil's Breath epidemic, Silver Sable can't walk around the city without people watching her with fear and hatred. It is now that she understands what Spider-Man goes through every day. To be facing so much criticism, so much backlash, so much hate, yet still standing up to do the right thing. Sable International's reputation was doomed thanks to the Devil's Breath crisis, but Silver persisted to do the right thing, just like Spider-Man did for New York.

Lounging in the Symkarian Embassy, Silver stared at the city below from her office window, contemplating about what she should do next. The agents who stayed in the city with her are helping Spider-Man and the police. No martial now. No oppression. Just actions made purely with the intent of protecting the people. Silver should be satisfied. She wasn't. Not completely, at least.

 _I have changed my path and followed a good man's example, yet why is it not enough?_ She wondered deeply.

Silver looked at herself in the mirror and thought further. Her shiny silver hair. Her silverwish white trench coat. Her silver-white Kevlar top. Her greyish silver boots. The silver earrings pierced through her ears... it all marks her as Silver Sablinova, a fierce warrior/princess with a reputation for being truculent and perverse. Armed with two energy pistols that strike fear into anyone who see her holding them.

 _My decisions should make me feel complete, yet they do not_ , she thought.

Silver looks out the window again. Parents taking their happy kids out for a walk in the beautiful streets of New York. People just chatting with each other like good friends. Spider-Man swinging across the streets, which is what really captured Silver's attention. She could see him waving at the people. She would never tell him, but it amazes her just how much of a people person he is. He could just be chasing fame or adrenaline, but he actually values the connection he shares with the people, even if they don't know who he is under the mask.

 _Maybe it's time I truly explore New York_ , Silver thought.

* * *

Spider-Man's time to finish the Vibranium suit was interrupted when he received a crime alert. It was just a mugging, but that's Spider-Man for you. He considers no crime too small for him to intervene. Heck, he'd save a cat from a tree if he had to. He makes a perfect landing near the mugging, attracting everyone's attention, be it bystander, mugger, and victim. The two mugging victims ran away as soon as the muggers turned their heads.

People were surprised that Spider-Man went old school with the Stark Suit. The wall crawler made a Throwback Thursday joke as people started taking pictures. He then turned his attention back to the muggers. Mugger #1 attacks, but Spider-Man casually dodges his punch before webbing him to a lamppost with a shot of Impact Web. Mugger #2 charges with his crowbar, but Spider-Man webs the weapon away from him and then throws it back at his face, amusing some people watching. Mugger #3 was about to take out his gun, but Spider-Man unleashes his Spider-Bro (a special name he chose for the Stark Suit's Spider Drone). Spider-Bro shocks Mugger #3 repeatedly until he was doing some kind of dance. Spider-Man mocks him by dancing the "I'm being electrocuted" dance with him, making the people laugh.

 _I guess physical comedy works better than verbal comedy sometimes_ , he thought, happy that he made others laugh.

After the mugging, Spider-Man just walked/swung around New York and interacting with locals. First things first, he observes a group of break dancers. When they saw him dancing along, they asked him to join them. As the up-tempo electro music played and the people watched, Spider-Man did pretty much every breakdancing move in the book, from windmills to jackhammers to air flares. The people danced as they watched in awe of Spider-Man shows so much energy and passion to his moves. He even engaged in a dance-off with the breakdancing group's leader, which he won (the winner was determined by loudness of crowd's cheering).

 _I can add breakdancing to Spider-Man's backup career list_ , Spider-Man thought.

Next up, Spider-Man decides to hop on a New York tour bus and do the tour guide's job for him. The tour guide sounded like he hated his job and that does not translate to a fun bus tour. So, Spider-Man takes his microphone and introduces the newcomers to New York with enthusiasm. He adds colorful commentary to every landmark, making the tour all the more fun for the people on the bus ("To your left, you have the Avengers Tower... and the Avengers are pretty much _never_ here to use it, which makes you wonder, _Why do they even bother? Or is under eternal lockdown 'cause the Hulk accidentally number-two'ed in there?_ "). He even gave them front row seats to him stopping a carjack. He webs up Carjacker #1 and kicks him to a wall to glue him there. He dodges all of Carjacker #2's punches easily and incapacitates him with an Electric Web. The people on the tour bus can now say "best tour ever."

 _Another backup career option for Spider-Man_ , he thought.

As if Spider-Man needed more backup career options, he's now entertaining kids at a birthday party. He owed the father of the birthday boy a favor for accidentally destroying his car during one of his fights. Since the father's son was a big fan of Spider-Man, the hero agreed to be a celebrity guest. He made Balloon Spider-Man by twisting red and blue balloons together, while painting a white spider on the chest. He even told some jokes, and the kids actually loved them ("Why did the Rhino cross the road? To get away from smelly Spider-Man!").

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Once again, MJ is putting herself in danger just to get a good story for the Bugle, even though she's already an associate editor. Leave it to her to redefine the meaning of that position. Today, she is inspecting a corrupt businessman named William Herman who is illegally evicting people out of their apartments for personal profit. MJ had met twelve of these evicted folks and they all shared the same story. William Herman. She needed evidence to get William arrested. So, she decided to infiltrate his penthouse, carrying Spider-Plushie with her. She managed to steal his key while using a little boy of a family checking into the building to distract him.

Unfortunately, William immediately noticed that he's missing key and returned with his three large bodyguards.

 _Shoot_ , she cursed mentally.

MJ hid behind a couch as William and his men searched the penthouse for the intruder. William looked for his key in his bedroom along with one of his bodyguards. Bodyguard #2 is patrolling the living room. Bodyguard #3 is patrolling the dining room. MJ realizes now is that time to use Spider-Plushie.

 _Oh, this is gonna be fun_ , she thought.

MJ attaches a lure to Spider-Plushie's back and places him on the couch, attracting the attention of Bodyguard #2. With him distracted, MJ sneaks up behind him and tases him with her stun gun. She picks up Spider-Plushie and turns off the lure, all the while smiling at the toy for doing such a good job.

She then moves to the dining room to take out Bodyguard #3. He was searching the cupboards, which gives MJ the chance to plant her trap. Activating the Spider Lure, she places Spider-Plushie on the dining table. Bodyguard #3 finds the Spider-Plushie and becomes confused. Just as he was about to grab it, he gets tased in the back by MJ.

 _Agent MJ and Agent SP strike again_ , she narrated.

MJ moves to the bedroom to get rid of the last bodyguard. Just like with the last two, she uses Spider-Plushie to lure him out. One zap from her stun gun and he's unconscious. Bodyguard #3's unconscious body falling creates noise that attracts William's attention. As soon as he stepped out the door and saw his unconscious bodyguard next to Spider-Plushie, he gets hit in the back of the head with a vase by MJ.

MJ grabs the documents containing proof of Williams' illegal activities, silently cheering as she did. She kisses Spider-Plushie, congratulating him for being successful on his first mission.

 _Wait 'til I tell Peter_ , she though excitedly.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Miles Morales was just having another average day at school. Another Math lecture. Another Science lecture. And now it's time for lunch. A bowl of soup and apple for lunch, as usual. To think, movies exaggerate how terrible cafeteria food is, but Miles may want to argue about that. At least the soup is nice. Suddenly, he got a crime alert on his phone. He didn't tell Peter but he hacked into his phone and copied his link to the crime towers, allowing him to track crime around New York.

There's a drug-dealing gang a couple blocks away. According to Twitter, Spider-Man is currently on the other side of town, which means he can't come over in time to stop the drug gang before they could leave their spot. Miles knew he can stop them, but that would mean ditching school. Then again, he has twelve minutes until lunch is over.

 _I can get out there, stop the drug dealers, be back before the next bell, and no one would notice_ , he thought positively. _Piece of cake._

Miles sneaks to the back of the school and hides behind the dumpster to put on his homemade suit. He left his backpack under the dumpster so no one would find it. He swings away to confront the drug dealers. _Fear not, folks, 'cause your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Boy is here_ , he said out loud. He loved saying that. It didn't take him long until he got to the alleyway where the drug dealers were meeting up. Four of them, to be specific. They had already stored their drugs in the back of their car.

He announces his presence with a quip that he thought was lame ("Do you know drugs are bad for you?") and started punching the drug dealers. He got hit in the back of the head with a crowbar by Thug #4, but he counters with multiple web shots. Spider-Boy lands three hard punches at Thug #1 and then immediately reacted to Thug #2's attack by kneeing him in the stomach. Spider-Boy takes a page out of his mentor's playbook and web-throws Thug #4 at Thug #2.

 _Time to test my special new powers_ , he thought.

Using the Electric Webs, he charges his fingers with electricity and shocks Thug #3 until he fell into unconsciousness. Thug #1 was "shocked" to see this.

 _Awesome_ , Miles thought excitedly.

Thug #1 takes out his gun and started shooting, but Miles dodges every single bullet. Unfortunately, he let a few of those bullets hit the car's fuel. Worse, his electric powers lit up the fuel puddle caused by the leaking. The car goes boom. Thug #1 is knocked out, while Miles barely jumped away from the boom.

 _Oops_ , he scolded himself.

Miles swings back to school as fast as he can. Unfortunately, someone found his backpack, 'cause it was not under the dumpster. He went back inside the school and found Tanner and Bobby with his backpack. They were bullies who liked to pick on him. They must've saw him sneak away from the cafeteria, hence why they found his backpack. Fortunately, he didn't leave anything inside that reveals his secret identity. But had to take off the suit now. Using a well-placed web shot as a distraction, he lures Tanner and Bobby away so he can web his backpack back to him. He changes in the men's room and makes it to his next class just as the bell rang.

 _Whew._

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

It's a popular rumor within the NYPD now. The news of Spider-Man's birthday gift to Yuri has spread to every precinct in the city and now most officers think there is something going on between the police captain and the New York's favorite super hero. Yuri needed to get away from the gossiping she accidentally eavesdrops on and headed to the rooftop to get some air.

Just as she was about to put some gum in her mouth, she found two of her officers with two masked thugs (the carjackers) webbed to the railing. The thugs came with a note that the two officers couldn't stop giggling about. Yuri steals the note from them and reads it. It says:

 _To: The Chief  
Love Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man_

And by "love," Spider-Man actually drew a heart **(A/N: I would've have used a heart emoticon, but it was not allowed, so just picture a heart where "love" is on the note)**. As if there needed to be anymore reasons for the cops in New York to think that there is a thing going on between Spider-Man and Captain Watanabe, Spider-Man went and drew a HEART on a note that was meant for the police captain herself. Yuri gives her officers the death glare, forcing them to silence themselves and get themselves back inside with the two carjackers.

Yuri leans on the railing as she chews on a piece of gum, which has become her permanent substitute for cigarettes. As ticked as she was, she couldn't blame anyone for thinking that she and Spider-Man have more than professional respect for each other. They've been playing this little flirting game for the past few years, such as the whole "Need a date for the policeman's ball?" An idea she actually entertained. Honestly, she would love to have him as her date to said ball. But now that she suspects that Mary Jane Watson is Spider-Man's girlfriend, the flirting game may have to stop.

 _Too bad, though_ , she thought. _I would've loved to see the look on the commissioner's face._

Then Yuri gets a call about an exploding car in Midtown. Needing an escape from the gossiping within the precinct, she hops into her car and investigates the scene. Seeing one thug webbed up made Yuri think Spider-Man was involved. However, an eyewitness told her that the masked vigilante who stopped the drug gang was wearing a black suit that looked like something out of a cosplayer. She now knows it was Spider-Man's protege, Spider-Boy, who stopped the drug deal.

 _Okay, so Spider-Man was not responsible for this mess, but he was, in a way, involved_ , Yuri thought.

That means more paperwork for Yuri... unfortunately.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Never in a million years would have anyone thought that Silver Sable would go... shopping. Yeah, that's right. Shopping. Clothes shopping, to be exact. If Silver was going to be walking around New York as an ordinary civilian, she needed to look less... silver. She can't do anything about her hair; it's natural. But she can change her appearance in the clothes department.

 _I cannot believe I am doing this_ , she thought with embarrassment.

After nearly an hour of selecting clothes (now she knows how teenage girls in the mall feel), she picked her final look. A leather jacket with dark and light shades of blue. Tight jeans, though not too tight for her sake. White normal-style boots. Looking at herself in the mirror, she looks like just another face in the crowd... minus the silver hair. That's a rarity. But at least she looks less silver. Being born with silver hair meant "Silver" would inevitably be the first name that popped into her parents' minds.

 _I wish you both could see what I have built_ , she wished, missing her parents.

After purchasing new clothes, Silver heads to Starbucks to try out a drink that Spider-Man once suggested for her. Iced Mocha Latte. She sat down and enjoyed her drink. She did NOT regret listening to Spider-Man. The latte tastes great. She then decided to put on some earphones and listen to some music, also a suggestion from Spider-Man to help her be more like a New Yorker. He suggested "We Can Fly" by Cafe Del Mar. Listening to it made her feel calm and relaxed. She was never a fan of music, but Spider-Man may just change her mind.

Unfortunately, the people in the cafe recognized her and threw shade at her. Worse, the front cover story from the Daily Bugle on the newspaper she was reading was about her. The headline said, _Silver Sable: I Come In Peace?_ It expresses concerns about her supposed attempts to apologize to New York for her actions during the Devil's Breath crisis. Good thing Jameson is no longer in charge of the Bugle, otherwise the headline would've said, _Silver Sable: Terrorist or Tyrant?_ Much like _Spider-Man: Threat or Menace?_ At least with Robbie Robertson, the paper expressed fair skepticism about her acts of good. If Jameson published the paper, it would be all harsh criticism and not a single hopeful statement that would help the public see how sorry she was.

Silver ignored the people staring at her and proceeded to enjoy her iced mocha latter while listening to relaxing music.

 _One of these days, I can atone for my sins_ , she hoped.

* * *

After having taking pictures with the birthday boy and eating some cake, Spider-Man left to patrol the city or just have fun swinging around. He spent the next few hours greeting people, letting them take pictures of him for #ThrowbackThrusday internet posts, and After all that, he decided to head back to the lab to work on the Vibranium suit... until he received a web alert. The latest story on the Daily Bugle's website has been published. William Herman's illegal evicting activities have been exposed and he's about to be arrested. Then he received a text message from MJ.

MJ: _Hey, did you catch the news?_

Spider-Man: _Yeah, great job. You could've called me, though._

MJ: _Don't worry. I had Agent Spider-Plushie by my side._

Spider-Man: _And how'd he do on his first mission?_

MJ: _Honestly, he's a better partner than you ever were._

Spider-Man: _WHAT?! Why?_

No response.

Spider-Man: _MJ?_

Spider-Man: _Hello?_

Spider-Man: _You're just messing with me, aren't you?_

Spider-Man heads to Williams' apartment building to witness the arrest of William Herman. Yuri and a few officers were already there. She saw him perched on top of a building and waved at him. He waved back and, for fun's sake, blew a kiss at her. Even from the distance, he can tell Yuri rolled her eyes at this.

 _She looks so cute when she's ticked_ , Spider-Man thought humorously and sincerely.

Spider-Man continues swinging across the city on his way back to the lab. Along the way, he saw another figure swinging across the streets. A man in a black suit shooting webs from his wrists. It's Miles, alright. He must be finished with school already. Just like him, Miles is using his spider powers to get from home to school and vise versa. It makes traveling faster and a lot more fun.

 _They grow up too fast, you know_ , Spider-Man thought happily.

As he swung around the city, he heard through the police radio that Silver Sable has been seen walking down the streets in new clothes. Curious, he heads to her location. Perched on top of a fire escape, he finds Silver just doing exactly as the police radio said. Just walking down the streets like a normal New Yorker. He notices her change in clothes and he was a bit confused. He knew he had told her to try and act more human during her stay in New York, but change of clothes was _not_ among his list of suggestions for her.

 _She looks strange in blue, yet so normal_ , he thought.

Silver saw him watching her and just smiled. He just bowed to her like an ordinary person would do in front of a princess before swinging away. Maybe Silver is taking this "become more human" thing too literally, but he's glad to know she's trying to be less robotic.

He finally made it back to the lab, just in time for the latest episode of Just the Facts with _J. Jonah Jameson_. He takes off his mask and gets to work on his Vibranium suit while he listens to his "number one fan" as he would jokingly call him.

 _Jameson started. "Okay, we got three topics to discuss today. Spider-Man, Spider-Boy, and Silver Sable. Apparently, with fewer crimes occurring today, Spider-Man has been doing more of his elaborate ruses to gain more fans for his cult... I mean... fan club. Apparently, he started wearing that old suit with that little spider drone he wears on his chest. The internet is exploding with Throwback Thursday mentions because of it. And my sources tell me that he hijacked a bus tour and made a special appearance at a kid's birthday party. He's REALLY trying, isn't he? Nice try, web head! I'm onto you! You can fool these people into thinking you care about them, but I see through you! All this smiling and waving, selfie-taking, making kids laugh, it's all just one big ruse and I'm gonna prove it to everyone. Mark my works, web head!"_

Peter just rolls his eyes and laughs on the inside.

 _"Moving on, I'm sure you're all aware by now that Spider-Man has a sidekick who goes by Spider-Boy, a name I came up with myself, if you remember. His latest antics involved blowing up a car while foiling a drug deal. Yes, he blew up a car. Blew it up. Blew! That car was in a narrow alleyway and the explosion could've taken out the two apartment buildings that were directly close to it. Apparently, Spider-Man teaches his protege on how to not care about property damage when fighting crime. As I warned you, people. We are on the verge of a Spider Army catastrophe. First, Spider-Man, and now this careless black-suited delinquent who seems to be trying to match his mentor's records of causing destruction. Are we safe, people? ARE WE?!"_

Peter knew that property damage is sometimes unavoidable in crime-fighting, but he made a mental note to talk to Miles about being extra careful next time.

 _"And now on to our third topic, Sable International has been occupying our city for the past few weeks claiming to be trying to make amends for oppressing the good people of this city during the Devil's Breath epidemic. You have got to be either brave or stupid, Ms. Silver Sable. Strutting around the streets, dressed like a New Yorker to blend in and fool the public into believing your claims of redemption... if I didn't know any better, I think she learned to put on this ruse from Spider-Man. If rumors about her being involved with that web-headed buffoon are true, then they're both just a couple of charlatans-in-love."_

Peter didn't know how much longer he can handle all this "SilverSpider" rumors. It's embarrassing, especially since he's currently in a relationship.

 _"Speaking of love rumors, let's talk about the rumors surrounding a possible affair between Spider-Man and Police Captain Yuriko Watanabe. Spider-Man: Two-Timing Cheater or Self-Indulgent Womanizer? Take your pick..."_

Peter facepalms in response.

MJ facepalms in response.

Miles facepalms in response.

Yuri facepalms in response.

Silver faceplams in response.

 **I did say "almost no dialogue" meaning there was gonna be some dialogue. I was saving it for Jameson's talk show.**

 **So, what do you think? Was the "almost no dialogue" approach a good idea or not? I had a lot of fun with this chapter, but I would really like to know what you think. Give me your full, honest opinion. I can take it.**

 **Oh, and what did you think of the ending?**


	8. The Other Side of the Silver Leaf

**Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: gammaxmen80, josephguy217, CG, DaylightOnyx, jminator**

 ** _To gammaxmen80_: Yuri hiring Silver Sable to assassinate JJJ... lol.**

 ** _To DaylightOnyx_: That's okay. Simple reviews are sometimes just fine.**

 ** _To jminator_: I'm glad you loved the Jameson part in the last chapter. That was my favorite part to write, mainly because of the reactions of Peter, MJ, Miles, Silver, and Yuri (By the way, what did you think of their reactions to JJJ's love rumors broadcast?). Thanks for your review about Triple-J.**

Spider-Man once compared Silver Sable to "an android programmed to carry out her duties without question" and Silver did not deny it. For a human being, she was mostly emotionless. She cared only about the mission and nothing more, much like a robot designed to accomplish a task. Silver's stay in New York was meant not only to make amends for her crimes during the Sinister Six's chaotic rampage but also to know how it feels to be truly human. So far, she's purchased herself some normal clothes and went to public places, only to be met with skeptical and frightened glares from the people of New York.

And that is what is happening right now. Silver Sable is currently at Central Park, remembering the Sable International base that once stood there. She sat down on a bench, eating a strawberry ice cream cone (Spider-Man's suggestion, but told her she could pick any flavor she wanted). The sweet stuff in this city, it really grew on Silver. She had to limit the sweets she takes, though, as they can be fattening. Good thing she made it a priority to stay in shape every day.

"But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy myself while I can," Silver said to herself.

As mentioned before, being met with skeptical and frightened glares from the people is what is currently happening to Silver. She may have changed her clothes (silver top, black leather jacket, and white tights for today), but she is still easily recognized. People throw shade at her the second they see her. Parents shield their kids from her, even. Silver tried to ignore them, but it was hard to. The violation of civil rights and acts of authoritarianism she committed last year, it's too much to just be forgiven immediately. But Spider-Man has fought for over eight years to turn public opinion to his side, and Silver can wait that long if she has to. Sometimes, the effort matters more than the outcome.

She then gets a call. It was Spider-Man.

"Hello," Silver answered.

 _"How's my favorite princess doing today?" asked Spider-Man. "Enjoying your ice cream?"_

"You're watching me," Silver guessed, looking around to see if Spider-Man is nearby. "You could just come talk to me face-to-face."

 _"With all these rumors about the two of us being in love, I'd rather we don't talk in public," said Spider-Man. "And can you not say face-to-face to me? It makes me... uncomfortable."_

"Relax, Spider-Man. I have no intention of proving the rumors true, especially not to Jameson," said Silver.

 _"But are they true to you?" asked Spider-Man. "Sorry, stupid and unnecessary question. Forget I asked that. How's, uh, how's-how's New York been for you? Well, how's New York for you now, I meant."_

"Being back here has been... challenging," said Silver. "Lots of skeptics, plenty who fear me, but I try to push my agenda forward without paying attention to the criticisms surrounding me."

 _"Let me guess. I taught you that?" Spider-Man asked._

"You've taught me too much, and I appreciate it to no end," said Silver.

 _"Look, if trying to blend in with the crowd is too stressful, you can stop taking my advice," said Spider-Man._

"No, I want to do this," Silver insisted. "A part of me feels it is unnecessary, but the way you do it, to look at the people in the eyes and to put on a smile for them from underneath your mask... I cannot explain how it affects me."

 _"Well, you seem more of the type who lets her actions express herself, but, hey, the attention is nice most times. Makes you feel like you're doing the right thing," said Spider-Man._

"I know," said Silver. "It's difficult to find someone who would not eye me like I am about to aim my pistol at them and pull the trigger in cold blood, but I welcome the challenge."

 _"Well, I'll leave you to your ice cream," said Spider-Man. "Friendly advise: Don't lick too fast. You'll get brain freeze. It's like the little sentient gland in your brain is shivering and she's making you feel the burn... freezer burn, to be precise. It's like your head playing hot-or-cold with you. When cold stimuli sends messages from your tongue to the cold-sensitive parts of your brain, you get... uh, am I rambling? Am I annoying you?"_

Silver smiled an amused smile. What is it about Spider-Man's bizarre witticisms that she finds endearing?

 _"Okay, I'm just gonna hang up," Spider-Man said, embarrassed. "Good day, your highness."_

Spider-Man hung up. Silver just sat down on the bench, amused.

* * *

One of Silver Sable's attempts to reach out to the public is to settle her business with Norman Osborn. Maybe leaving the city when the Sinister Six crisis wasn't completely resolved was a little selfish of her, but Spider-Man's actions affected her so much that she couldn't stay. She had a meeting with him at Oscorp. She had to change back into her silverish white clothes first. Accompanied by two Sable agents, she enters Oscorp with a face that looks like she just wanted to leave. Norman Osborn and anything that revolves around him serves as a reminder to Silver of the awful acts she committed against New York.

"I'm here to see Norman Osborn," Silver said to the receptionist.

"Ah, yes, he's expecting you," said the receptionist. "He's in his office."

Silver takes the elevator to the top floor. On the way up, she plugs in her earpieces and listens to another relaxing song on her phone that Spider-Man recommended for her. The two Sable agents exchanged confused looks that said, "What is she, a teenager?" Even with their helmets on, Silver knew what faces they wore and what they were thinking, via their reflections through the shiny elevator doors. She just ignored them.

The elevator stops at the top floor. Silver and her men walk into Norman's office, only to walk in on a phone conversation between Oscorp's CEO and whoever was on the other side of the phone.

"Like I said, it's your word against mine. Just because you have dirt on me, it doesn't mean you can bury me," Norman said, sounding annoyed. "I swear, if you ever step out of line, I will see to it personally..."

Norman stopped when he saw Silver Sable come out of the elevator.

"I have to go," said Norman. "Remember. I hold more cards here than you."

Norman hangs up on his caller, who is actually Wilson Fisk, still gaining access to communication devices from inside The Raft. Good thing Norman didn't say his name out loud or else Silver will have the city crucify him.

"You're fifteen minutes late," said Norman.

"My apologies," said Silver. "I was busy."

"Busy trying to act like a commoner?" Norman replied quite angrily. "It's all over the news. Everyone knows that you're putting on this facade to gain sympathy. It's pathetic, if you ask me."

"My so-called facade is my business," said Silver. "You are in no position to give me a lecture on facades, especially after everything you have done."

"What are you talking about?" asked Norman.

Silver turns to her men and says, "Leave us. Guard the elevator."

The two Sable agents walk into the elevator and go back to the ground floor. Silver preferred if this conversation would be kept between her and her former client.

"Devil's Breath. Deflecting blame on Spider-Man. Using your mayoral position to benefit Oscorp," Silver enumerated with disgust and contempt. "And worst of all, Martin Li."

"What are you talking about?" asked Norman.

"I know about the experiment, the death of his parents by his own hand, a tragic accident caused by your doing," said Silver. "So don't act like you have the moral high ground here."

"You worked for me, but you left the city while Octavius dropped me from a rooftop!" Norman argued. "I don't think it matters who has the moral high ground here. We're both sinners."

"Maybe, but at least I plan to rectify mine," said Silver. "What of you, Norman? You resigned from the mayor's office, and now you're back to where you were before the office. Running Oscorp, only now the public partially know how much dirt covers your hands."

"Do you even know the full story?" Norman questioned.

"That your son is ill and Devil's Breath was an attempt at a cure for his terminal malady? Yes, I know," said Silver. "And I understand how much you want to succeed, but all the suffering you caused just to achieve that one goal, it's not worth it."

"You will not speak a word to anyone," Norman said threateningly.

"I won't, but only if we handle this business transaction my way," said Silver.

"What do you want?" asked Norman. "You want your pay?"

"No," said Silver. "I want my tech back."

"Excuse me?" Norman asked accusingly.

"I know you paid off some of my men to let Oscorp study my weapons and technology without my knowing," said Silver. "Whatever you stole, I want it back, or else I show this city that there is more to the negative side of you that they haven't seen."

"You book a meeting, come up here fifteen minutes late, and blackmail me into giving up my tech?" Norman questioned. "You got some nerve after abandoning me to die."

"But Spider-Man saved you, and that's why we're here right now," said Silver. "And that tech belongs to me. You have no right to just take it from me."

"What I'm doing with your tech is for the benefit of this city, not me," Norman claimed. "If you really want to prove this city that you're changing, then just give me the chance to explain the full story."

"No, I will not hear any more of your lies, Norman," said Silver. "Your have 12 hours to return all of Sable International's technology to me, or your will have to help your son from inside a cell at The Raft."

"Don't you dare bring my son into this," Norman growled.

"That is up to you, isn't it?" Silver retorted. "12 hours. Not a minute after. All of my tech. Every single piece. I do not want to see even a single screw unattached."

Silver leaves Norman's office, believing she has said all she needed to say to the corrupt businessman. Norman was more than ticked off by Silver's threats and the way she spoke to him. Norman admired Silver's dedication to her mission, but is beyond curious about and confounded by what could have possibly turned her into a completely different person.

Unbeknownst to Norman and the entire city, the reason for Silver Sable's change of heart is...

* * *

 _"... SPIDER-MAN!"_

Once again, J. Jonah Jameson's criticisms of Spider-Man booms through the ears of every person in New York who is listening. Silver has become a regular listener to the program, only to remind herself of why is she is here in New York. Spider-Man has fought back against Jameson's constant anti-Spider-Man rants to become the city's most beloved hero. Silver wants a clean slate despite her crimes against New York. But right now, she has to endure another episode of Just the Facts.

 _"He has been seen perching on rooftops with a pair of binoculars. Now, there is only one reason for this. He's spying on someone. Now, why would this masked menace spend his entire day spying on someone like a fly on the wall? He already has access to the NYPD's crime towers. He has everything he needs to spy on everyone in New York, as I told you before. So, why would he be going old-school? I have a theory that might as well be a fact. Since he knows we're onto him, he thinks he can spy on potential targets from the rooftops without us knowing. Well, good thing I got my eyes on him, or you will all feel violated. Spider-Man, I don't know if you're looking for fake crimes to set up or some hot girl to prey upon without her knowing, but if you think you can get away with spying on us, think again. Now, to all the good citizens of New York, watch your backs. You never know if that web-headed stalker is watching..."_

Silver knew who Spider-Man was watching. Her. Question is, why wouldn't he just talk to her? She has a feeling it's about more than just the "SilverSpider" rumors.

Silver's attention was turned away from Jameson's talk show when she saw a mugging in an alley nearby. A woman and her son were ambushed by three masked thugs demanding money and jewelry. One of them was holding the son hostage, threatening to kill him if the mother didn't hand over her belongings.

"Please! Please let him go!" The mother begged.

"Hand over the purse first," said Mugger #3, who held a gun to the son's head.

Silver could just walk away, but she didn't. With or without Spider-Man's influence, she knows it's wrong to just abandon an innocent person in need. Putting her phone away, she takes out her energy pistol and approached the muggers.

"That's enough," Silver said, aiming her gun at the muggers. "Let them go."

"Hey, it's that Silver Sable chick," said Mugger #1.

"Thanks, Mr. Obvious," said Mugger #2.

"I won't ask you again. Let the child go," Silver demanded.

"We got guns too, lady. We ain't scared of you," said Mugger #3.

"Yeah, so why don't you just go back to your castle and sip tea with your fellow princesses?" Mugger #1 said mockingly.

Silver quickly lowers her gun and shoots Mugger #3 in the leg, allowing the boy to escape him. Silver jump-kicks Mugger #1 in the chest and then uses his chest to propel herself to Mugger #2, kneeing him hard in the face. Mugger #1 pulls out his gun, but Silver shoots his hand, blasting the gun away and leaving a burning wound on his hand. Mugger #2 grabs a nearby crowbar and tries to hit Silver, but she simply knocks him out with a roundhouse kick.

Silver kicks Mugger #3 down to the ground and points her pistol at his face. The mother and her son run away.

"Get up, I dare you," Silver dared.

Suddenly, Silver's pistol was webbed away from her hand. It was Spider-Man, who saw the whole thing from the wall above them. He jumps down and walks up to Silver with a judgmental look on his "face."

"Hey, that is not how we do things downtown," said Spider-Man.

"I wasn't going to kill him," said Silver. "I just wanted him to stay down."

"Well, next time, just knock him out," said Spider-Man. "Also, nice move back there. Using that one guy as a trampoline to the other. Maybe your knee kick was a little too strong... but we're getting off topic."

"I'm just saving an innocent woman and her child," Silver replied. "You do not have to criticize me on that."

"No, I mean, it's very heroic of you to interfere a mugging, but you could've killed someone," said Spider-Man.

"Uh, do you two need a moment?" Mugger #1 asked jokingly.

Spider-Man fires an Impact Web shot at Mugger #1, webbing him to the wall and webbing his mouth shut.

"I think it's time we talk," said Silver. "Face-to-face, this time."

"Okay, fine. I'll text you a location and you meet me there at sunset," said Spider-Man.

* * *

Spider-Man sits down on the rooftop of F.E.A.S.T. He casually lied down and checked his Twitter account while he waited for Silver Sable. He really didn't want to talk to her face-to-face, but she insisted. He knew deep down he couldn't avoid her forever. She stayed in New York because of him and there was no way they were gonna stop talking to each other.

"Hey, Silver, look, I'm just not in the mood to talk to you... okay, that's just dumb," Spider-Man said to himself, rehearsing for how he'll attempt to convince Silver to lay off with the flirting. "Look, Silver, I have a girlfriend and... no, that would just lead her to finding out my identity somehow."

"You didn't have to say anything."

Spider-Man jumped when he heard Silver, who had arrived in time to hear him talk to himself. Where was his Spider Sense when he needed it?

"When you asked me to take you to F.E.A.S.T. for treatment, Ms. Watson came in. I saw how she looked at you. Fear of loss. Regret in her eyes. Then there was the fact that you rescued her from me at Osborn's penthouse. She trusted you catch her after her leap of faith. I suspected you two were more than just partners in crime," said Silver.

"I, well... uh... it's-it's complicated, but..." Spider-Man stuttered, surprised that Silver figured it out. "Wait, if you knew I had a girlfriend, why do you keep kissing me?"

Silver hesitated for a moment. The question hit her hard, he could tell.

"I never felt anything like how I felt about you, Spider-Man," Silver said, sounding very vulnerable. "I had no clue how to address what my heart speaks of you. The beating, the fire, the passion, I can only express them through a display of affection that comes solely from within."

"Have you ever thought about getting into poetry?" Spider-Man commented. "'Cause that was kinda beautiful."

Silver smiled at him.

"Okay, so I just wanted to ask you to stop kissing me or saying romantic stuff to me," Spider-Man admitted. "What Ms. Watson... MJ... and I have, it's all I ever wanted for a long time. I mean, no offense, Sable. You're super cool, super awesome, super bad-a, super hot... er... I mean... just forget that last part."

Once again, Silver replies with a simple smile.

"Okay, we're getting way off topic here. We're supposed to be talking about you playing superhero here in New York," Spider-Man remembered.

"I see a crime, I stop it. It's that simple," said Silver.

"Yeah, but try non-lethal means to get the job done," said Spider-Man.

"Head traumas and bone bruises are non-lethal?" Silver questioned.

"Hey, I try to talk them into giving up first, but they insist on letting me punch them," said Spider-Man. "At least I control myself. You, on the other hand, are trigger-happy."

This time, Silver replies by aiming both her guns at Spider-Man's face. Spider-Man stepped back a little in shock, but tried to remain still in fear of provoking her to shoot him.

"If that was true, I would've killed you at the Oscorp research department without letting you give me a reason not to," said Silver. "I thought you trusted me."

"I do trust you," said Spider-Man, although his voice cracked due to nervousness.

"You trust me to keep your partnership with Captain Watanabe a secret. You trust me to keep your relationship with Ms. Watson a secret. You trust me to keep Miles Morales' identity as your protege a secret," Silver said through her teeth, reminding him of what she has done for him.

"Wait, you know about Miles?" Spider-Man reacted, shocked that she knew about this too.

Silver just tilts her head nonchalantly.

"Is there anything else you know about me?" Spider-Man asked, hoping the answer is no.

Silver spoke. "I know..."

Silver was cut off when Spider-Man's web alert and ringtone sounded at the same time. He slowly reaches for his phone and sees that Yuri was calling him. The web alert said something about a hostage situation at the Central Park. He had to answer Yuri's call first. He puts it on speakerphone in case Silver has to hear this too.

 _"Please tell me you got the alert about the hostage situation at Central Park?" Yuri hoped._

"Just did," said Spider-Man. "What's going on?"

 _"A man named Joseph Whittle kidnapped two Sable agents and Mary Jane Watson. He's holding a gun at the Sable agents and forcing Ms. Watson to film the whole thing live for the entire city to see. Apparently, Whistler was a hacker in college," Yuri reported. "He wants Silver Sable here in one hour, or he'll shoot Ms. Watson and the agents."_

"They're not going to die on my watch," said Silver, letting Yuri know she's listening.

 _"Sable's with you? In that case, you two need to get over here right now," said Yuri._

"Spider-Cop and Silver Sabre are on their way, Chief," Spider-Man said with his gravely voice.

Yuri responds by immediately hanging up.

"Uh, Yuri?" Spider-Man called, hoping she didn't really hang up on him.

* * *

As already mentioned, there is a hostage situation occurring in Central Park. A middle-aged man named James Whittle is holding two Sable agents at gunpoint while MJ was filming the event live for all of New York to witness. She was scared, but was hopeful that Spider-Man will come. Yuri, the NYPD, and a handful of Sable agents were present at the scene, but Whistler threatened to shoot the agents and MJ if they come any closer. So, Yuri instead ordered for a perimeter to be set to prevent Whittle from escaping.

"Why are you doing this?" MJ asked.

"You'll know soon, if Sable ever gets here," said Whittle.

On cue, Silver Sable arrived, having hitched a ride with Spider-Man, who just swung into the scene. Yup, that would mean she had to hold on to him very tightly as he swung across the city. Seeing Silver with her arms around Spider-Man once again made MJ feel like the jealous girlfriend, but she had to keep it together. Now is not the time for a love triangle.

"Joseph Whistler... Whittler... Whittle... is it?" Spider-Man started. "Look, just put the gun down."

"You don't even understand what's happening here, Spider-Man," said Whittle. Glaring at Silver, he says, "This is between me and her. Stay out of this."

"Just talk to me," said Spider-Man. "This doesn't have to get violent."

"He is holding my agents hostage. This will inevitably escalate to violence," Silver said, preparing to take out her guns.

"Whoa, whoa, let me try first," said Spider-Man. "Joseph? Joe? Can I call you Joe? What do you want?"

Whittle answered. "When Osborn hired Sable and she started arresting protesters, my daughter Erica and I were caught in a crossfire between the Sable agents and the Ryker escapees. I told my daughter to hide so I could intervene, to beg for the violence to stop. One of the Sable agents threatened to shoot me. My daughter ran to me. She wanted to protect me even though it was dangerous... she was shot and killed by _her_ men."

"My orders were never to execute civilians," said Silver.

"No, but that shootout happened all because you were oppressing people," Whittle blamed her. "My daughter is dead because of you! And now, you're going to pay!"

"Whittle, I... I'm sorry," Spider-Man said sympathetically. "But this is... this is pointless. Silver Sable has been working non-stop to make up for her actions."

"Yes, listen to him, Joseph," MJ pleaded. "Revenge isn't worth it. It never is. Look at what happened to Otto Octavius and Martin Li. They wanted revenge on Osborn, but it didn't work out for them in the end."

"My daughter is dead!" Whittle repeated, grief-stricken.

"It's not Sable's fault," said Spider-Man. "She's not who you think she is."

"You think that monster is capable of changing?" Whittle questioned. "Well, here's how we put that to the test. I'm giving her ten seconds to make a decision. Either she shoots me and saves her agents, or she lets them die."

"But... but... either way..." Spider-Man didn't like this.

"She shoots me, she proves herself as the monster she is. She lets me pull the trigger, she proves that she cares of no one but herself," said Whittle.

"But there's no scenario here where both of you win," said Spider-Man. "She'll lose her soul and you'll be imprisoned."

"But it'll be worth it," said Whittle. "I get to spend the rest of my life knowing my daughter is avenge."

Silver draws both her pistols and aims them at Whittle, much to Spider-Man's discontent. Whittle kept his gun trained on the two Sable agents.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! This is unnecessary," said Spider-Man, standing in between the two.

"Get out of the way, Spider-Man," Silver demanded. "Let me handle this."

"I want to save you both. I'm not gonna let you or him kill anyone," said Spider-Man. "You've done so much to redeem yourself. Don't waste it now."

"What choice do I have?" Silver replied.

"Here's a third choice," Whittle added. "Shoot your own agents and I will surrender. But you have ten seconds."

"We'll be right with you, sir. Just let the grown-ups talk first," Spider-Man said jokingly, even though he's aware it's the wrong time for that kind of tone. He looks back at Silver and says, "Don't do this, Sable."

"You call me by my family name. A name that remains a stain in this city," Silver said with woe.

"Okay, let's talk... Silver," Spider-Man corrected himself.

"No," Silver interrupted. "I want you to call me by my real name because your heart tells you to, not because you feel the need to appeal to me."

MJ didn't like how Silver said "because your heart tells you to," but she knew who Peter was devoted to. Still, hearing Silver say these kinds of words to Peter with that affectionate tone in her voice made her feel so uneasy. She kept the camera pointed at Whittle and stayed still, but at least she was allowed to turn her head.

"I know what to do, Spider-Man," said Silver. "But I have to do this on my own. The question is, do you trust me?"

Spider-Man thought for too long, but gave his answer.

"I do, Silver," said Spider-Man.

Silver smiled. He called her by her real name, not because of euphemism or flattery but because it came direct from his heart, which told him to truth her.

Spider-Man steps aside and stands beside MJ just in case. Silver keeps her guns trained on Whittle as the two engage in a stalemate.

"You think of me as a tyrant, a dictator, a monster," Silver started. "Maybe I am all that, but that is what I am trying to fix about myself. What I have done to New York, it was despicable and I deserve all the contempt this city gives me. Your daughter was... an unwanted casualty."

"She was living person, Sable. She was 9 years old. She dreamed of becoming a police officer, but now she will never get that chance," Whittle growled.

"I know, and I am sorry," Silver apologized.

"Ten!" Whittle started counting.

"But you have to believe me," Silver pleaded. "My sojourn here in New York comes with peaceful intentions. I want to apologize to this city for all my previous transgressions."

"And why... how... could someone like you ever change?" asked Whittle, still refusing to believe Silver's claims.

Silver looked at the camera. All of New York was watching. Whittle had hacked all TV channels and even Time Square's electronic billboards in order for the whole city to see what Silver Sable would do. Silver had a plan and it was time to execute it, even if it means the whole city will know the reason behind her choice to make amends. She never really told the papers why she has changed, but now might be the time to do so.

"Nine!" Whittle continued.

"C'mon, Silver," Spider-Man said hopefully and quietly, if being a bit pushy.

"Eight!" Whittle counted.

Silver had to give her answer right now, for the sake of the poor man and her agents.

"Spider-Man," said Silver.

"Oh, yeah," Spider-Man cheered quietly.

Silver continued. "His heroics during the outbreak, protecting the innocent despite my orders to hunt him down, rescuing Osborn due to his belief in the justice system and disapprobation towards revenge... all he has done, he has affected me. He made me reconsider the life I chose. He is the reason why I am here. Eight years of being criticized as a vigilante when he is truly a hero, that kind of will and confidence is the example that me and my men now follow."

Silver drops her guns.

"And that is why I will not kill you or my agents," said Silver. "You may take my life if you wish to avenge your daughter..."

"Not oh yeah," Spider-Man said quietly, definitely not on board with Silver's suicidal decision.

"But at least I die knowing that the entire city, the entire country, the entire world knows why I have chosen a new path. A better path," said Silver.

Whittle's hands shake as he wrestled against his will to keep counting down. Silver's words, the genuine apologetic look on her face, the way she spoke about Spider-Man and what his actions meant to her, it all affected Whittle and made him hesitate to pull the trigger. In the end, he collapses to his knees and drops his gun. He looked at Spider-Man with a rueful look on his face.

"My daughter adored you," said Whittle. "She wanted to be a police officer because she wanted to help you fight the bad guys. But I see now who is the real bad guy here."

Whittle hanged his head, having chosen to surrender himself. Yuri and a couple of officers advanced from perimeter control to arrest Whittle. Silver picks up her guns and puts them back in her holsters, smiling triumphantly as she does. The officers take Whittle away while Yuri speaks with the head of Sable International.

"That was either very bold or very stupid, Sable," said Yuri. "I would've shot him."

"If I did that, then who am I?" Silver replied.

Spider-Man and MJ sigh with relief, relieved that the crisis was over. MJ wanted to hug Spider-Man due to her need for, but she didn't want the cops and Sable agents watching to get any ideas. So, MJ opts for a casual fist-bump with New York's favorite hero.

"Nice job, Spider-Man," said MJ.

"I didn't really do anything," said Spider-Man.

"No, you did. You influenced Sable in the best way possible," said MJ.

"You sure did, Spider-Man," Yuri agreed. "This could've been a disaster, but you both saved the day. Especially you, Sable."

"Credit where credit is due," Silver replied modestly.

"Hey, you just showed the people of New York that you were 150% serious about turning over a new leaf," said Spider-Man.

"And it is that way because of you," Silver said admiringly.

Silver pulls Spider-Man's mask up halfway and kisses him on the lips, shocking him and everyone watching, which included all of New York. MJ saw that the camera was still on and still filming the whole thing. She quickly turns it off.

"Okay, did not need all of New York to see that," said MJ.

"Well, they did," said Yuri. "News flash: rumors confirmed. SilverSpider is a thing."

MJ tried to hold back her laughter. Spider-Man's sense of humor sure has its way of rubbing off on people. Silver started cracking jokes. Yuri is becoming more and more sarcastically jokey. Even MJ did her own Spider-Cop thing with the whole "Mary Jane Watson: Super Spy" narration during her personal missions.

Silver ends the kiss, but not before planing another quick one on the masked hero's lips. The moment was clearly getting to her and she couldn't resist. Just like the first time, Spider-Man just stared at Silver with an open mouth, shocked by what she did. And just like last time, Silver had to pull his mask down for him.

"I wish you and Ms. Watson the best," said Silver. "Take care, both of you."

Silver leaves to check on her agents. Spider-Man just stood there, probably still doing that thing in cartoons where someone is so traumatized or shocked by something that they can't move or blink. His eyes and mouth are probably still wide open underneath that mask. Heck, his eyes were designed to emote, so his eyes were definitely as wide open as he is shocked.

MJ waved her hand in front of Spider-Man's face, but he still didn't move. The eyes of his mask remained in the "wide open because of shock" position.

"I think he's broken," said MJ.

"He'll snap out of it," said Yuri. "Let's just give him some room."

Yuri and MJ walk away so Spider-Man can get out of his trance on his own. He knows what he's doing is cartoonish and unrealisitic, but he didn't know how else to react. Odd that the second lip-to-lip kiss is the one that made him look like his brain is broken, while the first one just simply shocked him.

"What a strange, not-so-violent lady," he said, referring to Silver.

 **Man, I love writing this SilverSpider stuff. Even if it's a one-sided romance in this story, it's fun and hilarious to write Peter's reactions and feelings towards this SilverSpider stuff.**

 **So, what do you think? Give me your full, honest opinion, please.**

 **Notes:**

 **\- Remember when Spider-Man called Silver Sable a "strange, violent lady"?**

 **\- I was originally going to have Norman Osborn reappear at the end, but I decided to leave his business deal with Sable for another chapter.**

 **\- I just thought that some of Spider-Man's punches and kicks in the game were a little too brutal, so I used Silver as a way to address that. I know Spider-Man doesn't kill and he's never violent, but dang some of his moves can be hurtful. But he's still our Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. We love him.**


	9. What If MJ Got Bitten?

**100 Favorites? Gee, thanks. I never thought so many would love this story. I do try my best.**

 **Someone has been asking for a "What if?" story, so I thought I'd just do it. When the spider that bit Miles hitched a ride on MJ, it really had some people (including myself) wondering about what would've happened in MJ got bitten. Well, I know that seemed better suited for a separate AU story, but I have a demanding real life schedule, so a one-shot is the best I could do.**

 **A/N: MJ's superhero name in an alternate universe is "Spinneret" so that's gonna be her codename here. When you see "Spinneret" that means I'm talking about MJ.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the most recent reviews: josephguy217, daddysaysno, lindleya1, Guest, Redwall, Luishunter65, ZOE, Felipe Montenegro**

 ** _To lindleya1_: Take your time with the review. I can wait. And don't worry, I'm still wondering on when I will include a web-swinging scene with Yuri.**

 ** _To Redwall_: Okay, you did not need to post the same review twice, but thanks anyway. Don't worry, I was planning on taking a break from Silver Sable anyway. The previous chapter did feel like a closure to the SilverSpider story since Silver seemed okay with Spider-Man being with MJ. I'll try focusing more on Spider-Man and his other friends (and girlfriend). As for the villains, well, I'm planning on bringing back Shocker and maybe Sandman. Just wait and see. I think we all see the similarities between Spider-Man PS4 and the Arkham games, but Spider-Man PS4 still rocks as it handled the similarities expertly.**

 ** _To Benji the Monocat_: Sorry! Sorry. Fixed it.**

 ** _To Marcos2018_: "?"**

 ** _To Luishunter65_: Don't worry. I do love Pete and MJ, but I'm not done with SilverSpider just yet.**

 ** _To ZOE_: Yeah, I tried hard to make the speech as powerful as it should be. Also, HAHAHA indeed on Spidey's reaction to Silver's kiss. I was laughing so much on the inside writing that.**

 ** _To Felipe Montenegro_: Well, I'm planning on another Spider-Man and Yuri chapter. Just please be patient. Probably the next chapter.**

Another day, another burning building in New York. MJ was stalking an arms dealer selling guns to Wilson Fisk's thugs. An unexpected bystander catching her alerted the arms dealer, prompting him to run. The chase between MJ and the arms dealer led to a fire, trapping both inside. The arms dealer dies when the floor collapses below him. MJ would've been next... until Spider-Man smashed through a window, caught her in time, and took her outside. Spider-Man had to save everyone trapped in the building while MJ wrote down notes for the Bugle.

MJ returns to her apartment at the same time Peter did, coming in through the window as usual. He changes in the bathroom before sitting down next to her on the couch as she publishes her latest story.

"Look, I know you're not gonna stop doing this, but maybe you should consider taking a week off," Peter said, concerned. "I mean, just help Robbie select newsworthy stories at the Bugle. Isn't that what the associate editor does?"

"Do you want me to break up with you again?" MJ replied.

Peter blinked rapidly and leaned back in response, taken aback by those words.

"Kidding," said MJ. "But seriously, we're not gonna have this talk again, are we?"

"No, no, of course not," said Peter. "It's just..."

"I don't have spider powers and I'm fragile, I know," MJ said accusingly. "But I know what I'm doing, Peter. I appreciate you saving me, again, but we both know I can I take care myself, even if I can't do what you and _Miles_ can do."

When MJ said Miles' name, she gestured to the TV. Spider-Boy has been reported to have stopped a break-in somewhere in Hell's Kitchen. He may have damaged a couple cars and some street lights, but at least he got the job done.

"On a school night even," Peter commented.

"Didn't you do that on school nights when you were his age?" MJ asked.

"I, uh... okay, now I sound like a hypocrite," Peter acknowledged. "You sound so on edge today. Is there something else bothering you?"

"No... I mean... it's been a long day and I just need some rest. I think I'll turn in early tonight," said MJ.

"Well, do you want me to stay and make you dinner?" asked Peter.

"No, you can just go back out there and be Spider-Man," said MJ. "I need to rest."

"Okay," Peter said, suspicious and worried.

Peter changes in the bathroom again, putting on his Advanced Suit, and leaves through the window, as usual. MJ was about to close the window when she stopped and watched Spider-Man swing away. Seeing him do that never gets old. It was just so cool. To swing around the city like that, to feel like you're alone with the world, to feel like you can do anything while in the air (as shown by Spider-Man's mid-air flip tricks), it made MJ feel sorta jealous of him.

Just watching the news report about Miles reminded MJ of her real problem. She felt like the odd one out of the Spidey trio (Is that a good group name? Maybe not). Peter is the Amazing Spider-Man (or Spectacular Spider-Man), and Miles is the Spider-Man-in-training. Her, on the other hand, she's just a normal human being with a camera, a stun gun, and a Spider-Plushie for a partner. She's feeling left out since she's the only one of the trio without any special powers. Sure, she never minded being a non-powered superhero, but now...

MJ decided to get back to her story. She typed away on her laptop, making sure her article is free of grammar errors. Suddenly, she started to feel tired. She kept typing and typing until she started to doze off.

* * *

As MJ fell asleep, a dream began.

The first image she saw is herself at F.E.A.S.T. It was after Peter rescued her from Silver Sable at Norman's penthouse and they talked about how Norman and Otto were responsible for Martin Li. He just off took after a heartfelt conversation with MJ. Just when MJ thought she can have a peaceful moment just watching Peter swing away, she felt something bite her hand. Her reflexes prompted her to smack whatever bit her.

MJ looked at her hand to see a dead spider, which she just killed. But it wasn't just any spider. It was the spider that crawled on her back at Norman Osborn's secret lab. MJ remembered the spiders in Norman's lab were genetically modified.

What is this spider bite gonna do to her?

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Fast-forward three months into the future... there a robbery occurring at a jewelry store in Chinatown. The cashier has been forced to put her hands in the air while her two customers are on their knees begging for their lives. Four armed robbers attempt to force the cashier to hand over all the money in the register while they steal the most expensive jewelry in the store.

"Every single penny, lady!" Robber #1 shouted.

"Ahem!"

The four robbers turn around to see another person enter the store. Only, this wasn't an ordinary person. This person is a woman wearing a suit that looked like Spider-Man's, only this suit is colored scarlet red from neck to knee with web-like design and a spider symbol on the chest. Her sleeves and the rest of the legs were colored a shiny white. Her mask white with a little bit of red on the eyes and her red ponytail was sticking out of the back.

Underneath the mask is Mary Jane Watson, but no one knows that. Not yet anyway.

"Uh, am I interrupting something here?" She asked jokingly.

"It's Spinneret! Kill her!" Robber #2 shouted.

Spinneret webs Robber #1's gun away from him and throws it at Robber #2's face. Spinneret dodges the robbers' punches as she punches them repeatedly, knocking them out of the window and onto the street.

"A girl can't walk into a jewelry store to buy some bling in this city without running into a robbery, huh?" Spinneret joked.

Spinneret webs Robber #1 repeatedly until he was stuck to the wall. She dodges Robber #2's punch and kicks him to a nearby car, webbing him to it afterwards. Robber #3 blocks Spinneret's punches with his crowbar, but Spinneret shocks him with her electric powers, via her fingers.

"Shocking, isn't it?" Spinneret joked. "Okay, that was lame. How does Spider-Man come up with these?"

Robber #4 attacks while Spinneret was occupied with her jokes. Spinneret dodges Robber #4 casually, fires a web shot at his chest, and then pulls him towards her, followed by a spin kick to the face that knocks him out.

"Don't ever try to hit a lady. It won't get you one," Spinneret joked. "Okay, that one was better."

The crowd applauded and cheered, admiring Spinneret's heroics. She "smiled" (mask and all) and waved, just like Spider-Man would do. The attention definitely feels good as she feels better about what she does with her powers.

 _Pete's right about the good feeling of being appreciated_ , MJ thought.

"You're awesome, Spinneret!"

"You kicked ass, Spinneret!"

"You go, girl!"

"Are you and Spider-Man dating?"

Spinneret just swung away from the scene. She's swinging pretty low, but that's only because she's still, on a scale of 1 to 10, a Level 3 web-swinger (Spider-Man's exact words). Swinging was fun, she admitted. She can see why Peter loves this. The rush, the adrenaline, it was exhilarating. It was making her want to do tricks in mid-air, but she settled for just one 360. She's still adjusting, but she's eager to try Peter's moves.

Speaking of Peter, she got a call from him. Well, Peter called her using Spider-Man's phone, not Peter Parker's.

"Hey, Pete," she answered.

 _"Having fun, partner?" asked Spider-Man._

"I'm having the time of my life," said Spinneret. "After all these years of wondering what it feels like to be you, now I know. The feeling of helping others with your powers, to give the people hope, it's a nice feeling."

 _"Yeah, well, it's about to be a lot nicer because of what I found," said Spider-Man. "Yuri just called. She found Li. He's at GCT with some Demons."_

"I thought he was going straight," said Spinneret.

 _"Guess he still wants revenge on Norman," said Spider-Man._

"His dark side, it must be stronger than we thought," said Spinneret. "Peter, I'm not sure we can appeal to him this time. I mean, I know you want to. I understand that you want to. But if it comes down to Li and this city..."

 _"I know," said Spider-Man. "But you don't have to make it sound like we have to kill him."_

"Sorry," Spinneret apologized. "Let's finish this, partner."

 _"See you at GCT, partner," said Spider-Man._

Spinneret smiled. She already enjoyed her partnership with Peter before, but now that they both have spider powers, their partnership has become a whole lot better. Fighting crime together as Spider-Man and Spinneret, they've become quite the dynamic duo.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Martin Li and the Demons are in the GCT's basement. Martin and the Demons managed to sneak into the basement, where Demons who disguised as workers smuggled weapons. Li checked this watch, which means he's on a schedule.

"Congmang! Women buneng dai zai zheli geng jiu _(Hurry! We can't stay here longer)_ ," Li ordered. "Osborn will be passing by in a few minutes. We have to be ready for him."

The Demons (eleven of them) packed up the weapons they hid in the basement. Just as they were about leave, six of the Demons were webbed in their faces (or masks). Three Demons were dragged to the ceiling and webbed to the walls.

Spider-Man and Spinneret jump down from the ceiling, announcing their presence.

"It's over, Li," said Spider-Man.

"You're going back to The Raft," said Spinneret.

"Not until I finish what I started," said Martin.

"I know you're angry about what Osborn did to you when you were young. I know what it's like to hate someone who is responsible for the death of someone I care about," said Spider-Man.

"But unlike you, I try to satisfy the Demon inside me instead of suppressing it," said Martin.

"No more violence, Li," said Spinneret. "You failed before. You'll fail again. If you won't surrender, then we'll make you."

"Again, don't sound like you're gonna kill him," said Spider-Man. "Control your tone, please."

"Well, I'm sorry if sounding so serious makes me sound like a murderer," Spinneret joked.

"Enough of this buffoonery!" Martin exclaimed, fed up with the couple's banter. "No more interruptions. No more chances." He faces his men and says, "Emo, wancheng tamen! _(Demons, finish them!)_ "

The Demons (including those who just ripped the webs off their faces) started firing at the two spider-themed heroes. Spider-Man and Spinneret jumped and flipped around to avoid the bullets. Spinneret is still new to the Spider Sense thing, but feeling it fuel her reflexes was truly something. Dodging bullets looked cool when watching someone else do it, but to do it herself, it was scary and cool at the same time.

"Perfect dodge," Spider-Man complimented.

"Learned from the best," said Spinneret.

"Well, let's see if you've learned how to use your webs," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man swings away to another place in the basement. It's a huge basement (as he jokingly told the Demons, you could fit half of Brooklyn Bridge down here). Martin Li and four Demons followed him. The other four Demons followed Spinneret, who swinging to the opposite direction Spider-Man was heading to.

 _"Divide and conquer," said Spider-Man._

"Less lighthearted commentary, more punching," said Spinneret.

 _"Sorry," Spider-Man apologized. "Remember, it's all about keeping it cool. Don't let the adrenaline get to you."_

"Hard to not feel the adrenaline with all the swinging and my Spider Sense making me move like a gymnast," said Spinneret.

Spinneret just proved her point when the incoming bullets prompted her to move so agilely and athletically in mid-air. Taking a deep breath while in the air, she holds out her wrists and activates her Web Shooters, shooting webs at the Demons. She web-zips herself towards one Demon and uppercuts him to unconsciousness.

This super strength, it feels awesome. Of course, she had to learn restraint, just like Spider-Man. Just because her strength matches, if not exceeds, the strength of Rhino, it doesn't mean she has to abuse it. She already knew that, but holding back to a certain degree was still important to learn.

"Sorry to break your jaw there, pal, but you're better off sleeping than being conscious and shooting at me," said Spinneret.

Demon #2 breaks free from his web restraints and attacks with his negative-energy-powered sword. Spinneret dodges all of his swings before zapping the Demon with her electric fingers.

Spinneret decided to try the Web Throw. She shoots a web line at Demon #3, spins around while dragging him in circles, and then throws him at Demon #4, knocking them both out.

"Ooh, that's gonna leave a mark," Spinneret commented.

Spinneret saw and heard an explosion nearby. Spider-Man was in trouble, she could feel it. She swings to his location. Spider-Man managed to web up all of the remaining Demons, but Martin Li, a.k.a. Mister Negative, was giving him quite a fight. The former F.E.A.S.T. owner had just fired a blast of negative energy at Spider-Man, injuring him and damaging a lot of stuff in the basement. Spider-Man lied down in pain and could barely get back up. He was hurt bad. Mister Negative was temporarily drained from unleashing such a powerful blast, but he recovered faster. That means Spider-Man is in trouble.

"No more games. No more jokes. Just your demise," Mister Negative said angrily.

"Li!" Spinneret called.

Mister Negative turns around in response to Spinneret's call. Spinneret webs Mister Negative's arms and attempts to pull him away from Spider-Man. Mister Negative counters with a couple of negative energy blasts. Spinneret fails to dodge them and gets hit. Now she too was lying down in pain.

"Admirable," Mister Negative commented. "A new player in the game, only to prove herself incompetent."

"Ah... well... ow... she did take out some of your men," Spider-Man said in spite of the pain.

"Maybe it's time for you to feel my pain," said Mister Negative. "By killing the one you love in front of you."

Mister Negative draws his sword, which was powered by negative energy, and approaches Spinneret. Just as he was about to strike her down, Spinneret vanished, much to the surprise of the philanthropist and the other spider-themed hero.

"Where did she go?" Mister Negative wondered.

"Wondering... ow... the same thing," said Spider-Man.

"This is your doing, isn't it?" Mister Negative accused.

"Hey, if she had to power to disappear, I didn't even know about that," Spider-Man said as he clutched his injured rib. "Ow-ow-ow! Any chance you can take me to F.E.A.S.T?"

Mister Negative was about to blast more negative energy at Spider-Man when, all of a sudden, he gets kicked in the back by something invisible. Even Spider-Man couldn't see what hit him. Appearing out of nowhere is Spinneret, as if she just turned off her invisibility or something.

"You literally didn't see that coming," said Spinneret.

"Hey, I use that line a lot during stealth missions," said Spider-Man. "Also, what just happened?"

"Optical camouflage," Spinneret answered. "I didn't say anything because I didn't how it works, but now..."

"Behind you!" Spider-Man shouted.

Spinneret turned around to see Mister Negative getting back up. Spinneret dodges Mister Negative's punches and sword swings with grace and alertness. She then webs him up and punches him in the face over and over and over again. She adds two mid-air kicks that knocks him down. She then shocks him continuously with her bio-electrokinesis, unleashed through her fingers. Mister Negative screams in pain until he passed out.

"Wow," Spider-Man said.

"Yeah... wow," Spinneret agreed.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Authorities arrive at Grand Central Transit to arrest Martin Li and the Demons... again. Captain Yuri Watanabe oversaw the arrest while Sable International backed her up just in case. Eddie Brock from the Daily Bugle reported the event live in front of the cameras. Spider-Man and Spinneret watched from the top of a building.

"We did a pretty good job," said Spinneret.

" _You_ did a pretty good job," Spider-Man said happily. "I could've been killed if it wasn't for you."

"Well, not exactly the first time I saved you, but I'm just glad you're okay," said Spinneret.

"You're learning fast," said Spider-Man. "Barely a month with these powers and you already beat Li on your own."

"Well, I kinda got lucky," said Spinneret. "But I guess it's good to be lucky. I don't even know how this camouflage thing works, but... it couldn't have come at a better time."

"I guess I have to stop worrying about you doing this," said Spider-Man.

"You should've stopped worrying sooner," Spinneret said, playfully nudging on his shoulder. "I told you I could do this."

"After beating someone like Li, I've lost 99% of all my doubts," said Spider-Man.

"And what's the 1%?" asked Spinneret.

"Worry," said Spider-Man. "MJ, I'm always gonna worry, but I have faith in you. I promised we would be partners forever, and that's never gonna change."

Spinneret removes her mask halfway and does the same with Spider-Man. She pulls him closer for a kiss on the lips.

"Why don't you go back to my apartment?" Spinneret suggested. "I'll catch up with you later."

"Well, okay," Spider-Man agreed.

Spider-Man waves at the people below as he swings away. Spinneret watches him do his mid-air tricks, still wishing she could do them. But right now, there is something she wanted to do. Something she's been wanting to do for a while now. Just as Li was handed over to Sable International to be transported back to The Raft, Spinneret jumps down from the top of the building and attracts everyone's attention with her landing. All eyes and cameras on her now. She turns to the camera that was filming Eddie's report.

Then she did what no one would have expected her to do. She pulled off her mask, revealing her face. Mary Jane Watson is Spinneret, and now all of New York knows.

"My name is Mary Jane Watson," she said to the cameras. "You know me as the Associate Editor for the Daily Bugle. But now, now you know who I really am. I wear this suit, this mask because I wanted to do more to help this city, because I love and care about this city. You can try and stop me, but I'm always gonna fight for others."

MJ puts her mask back on and swings away. Now the people know the truth.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Back at MJ's apartment, Peter was making hotcakes while MJ was watching the news of the revelation of Spinneret's identity. MJ seemed content with what she did. Peter, on the other hand, did not look at all supportive of this choice. But before he could tell her, Jameson's next episode was on.

 _"So, after six weeks, the woman behind the mask has been revealed," Jameson started. "Mary Jane Watson. I've heard of her. She was an ex or something of one of my former photographers from the Bugle. I heard she's quite the daredevil, sorry if that offends the actual Daredevil, but who would have thought she would be this gutsy. Instead of showing Spider-Man how to use his own powers correctly, she's doing just as about as much damage as he is. Just look at those two. Potential soulmates with a knack for destruction. Ms. Watson, you are the Associate Editor of my old grounds. Use that position to expose Spider-Man, not feed his ego and become his sidekick!"_

"How could you do that?" asked Peter. "MJ, you know why we wear these masks, right?"

"I understand why _you_ do it, Peter," said MJ. "But I want to be the kind of hero who can stand behind her actions and say, _Yeah, that was me._ "

"And you're not at all afraid that the bad guys will go after the ones you love?" Peter questioned.

"Pete, I have spider powers, just like you. I can protect myself and everyone I care about," said MJ. "I just don't think all heroes have to hide behind a mask. I get why yo hide your face, Pete, but I want to be my own hero."

"Okay, I see your reasons," said Peter. "But you do realize you just made me go from less worried to extremely worried, right? I mean, now you have to look over your shoulder whenever you do something as simple as walking down the street."

"People get mugged every other day in this city. At least I can defend myself," said MJ. "And that was before my powers." She held up the stun gun she stole from Norman's apartment building.

"You still keep that thing with you?" Peter guessed.

"How do you think I got that story on a Russian assassin in New York without ending up with a scratch?" MJ replied. "But I'm holding onto it as an antique. Maybe if I ever have a museum exhibit, I'll feature this as a memory of when I uncovered the truth about Martin Li."

"Well, isn't the fame eating you up already?" Peter replied.

"Relax, Pete. I know when to not let popularity get to me," said MJ. "Like you, I just want to protect this city. That's why I showed the people who I am."

"I guess there's no reasoning with you," Peter gave up. "I just... I just hope..."

MJ stands up and walks into the kitchen to hold Peter's hand in a reassuring manner. He's so worried about her and while she appreciates that, she wants him to understand why she made this big decision.

"I'm safe as long as I'm with you, and vise versa," said MJ.

MJ kisses Peter on the cheek, making him smile.

"Hey, uh, your hotcake is burning," said MJ.

"Oh, shoot," Peter cursed.

Peter rushed to get the hotcake out of the frying pan before it's _really_ burnt. MJ laughed. Maybe it's her fault he loused up his cooking this time, but seeing him scramble around the kitchen to make sure whatever he's making isn't too bad was always amusing.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

MJ decided to go to F.E.A.S.T. to see Miles. He has been such a fanboy of not just Spider-Man but also Spinneret, so MJ wanted to see his reaction to her taking off her mask in front of the cameras. Too bad Miles doesn't know who Spider-Man is. She and Peter agreed to keep his identity a secret until he's ready to know. But for now, at least he knows MJ's true self.

Upon entering the doors of F.E.A.S.T., she was met with a thousand eyeballs, all just staring at her. Just when it looked like she was getting a cold welcome, one homeless person clapped for her. The rest of F.E.A.S.T. followed.

"We saw the news," Miles said as he walked up to her. "Some people here wouldn't have lived to come here if it wasn't for you."

MJ smiled.

MJ decided to lend Miles a hand in the kitchen.

"Just... wow," Miles started. "I mean, you're Spinneret? I mean, I couldn't believe it when I saw it. I mean, I'm not saying you couldn't be her, but... whoa."

"Yeah, whoa indeed," MJ agreed.

"Wait, if you're Spinneret... are you cheating on Peter with Spider-Man?" Miles asked suspiciously.

"What? No, no, no. I swear, it's Spider-Man flirting with me. I'm completely devoted to Peter," MJ said. "Spider-Man is a fun guy, but Peter is, well, he's Peter."

"I take it asking you for Spider-Man's identity is a no," Miles guessed.

"He has to tell you himself," said MJ.

"Well, as long as he's just out there stopping crime and being cool while doing it, I can wait," said Miles. "So, how does Peter feel now that he knows?"

"Actually... he's known for a while. He's the first person I told," said MJ, just playing along. "He was surprised at first, but he grew to accept it. Although, he didn't really like it when I took off my mask in public."

"Why?" asked Miles.

"Never mind that," said MJ.

"Well, if Spinneret ever needs help, Miles Morales is on it," said Miles.

"Slow down, kid. You're still in high school. I don't want to have to keep saving you," said MJ.

"So, what now?" asked Miles. "The whole city knows who you are. It's cool, but aren't you a little worried?"

"Not at all," said MJ. "I want to be able to show my face to the public every time I do something for this city. I'm not afraid of letting people know it's me..."

MJ's crime alert sounded, cutting her off. The Demons have busted Martin Li out of his transport and he's escaping in a black van.

"I have to go," said MJ. "Li's escaped and he's on the loose."

"Go get 'em, Spinneret," said Miles.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spinneret uses the crime towers to locate Li. He just stopped by... her apartment. Peter was still there. She tried to get there as fast as she could, but the van left her apartment building before she could make it. She had to follow the van. It stopped at an abandoned warehouse in Harlem. She arrived just two minutes after Li parked.

Demons were waiting outside, but they didn't open fire. They wanted her to go inside.

"Li is waiting for you," said one Demon.

"Well, at least he treats his front door guests well," Spinneret joked. She then muttered, "Man, Pete's sense of humor is both fun and infuriating at the same time."

Spinneret enters the warehouse. There he was. Mister Negative. Standing in the middle of the room with four Demons and an unconscious Peter tied up to a chair.

"Take off your mask. You clearly don't need it anymore," said Mister Negative.

MJ takes off her mask like he said.

"Let him go, Li," MJ pleaded.

"Mary Jane Watson. Also known as the famous Spinneret. I must admit, I was surprised," said Mister Negative. "I heard of your reputation for being reckless and eager to jump into danger just for a story, but I never though you'd be this bold."

"I said, let him go," MJ repeated.

"But now it all makes sense," Mister Negative continued. "Isn't it funny that Peter Parker came to me with one of my masks and Spider-Man just so happened to have intervened in my men's operation at Wilson Fisk's auction house the night before? Peter Parker. Spider-Man. One and the same."

Mister Negative holds up Spider-Man's mask, which he found in MJ's apartment when he kidnapped Peter.

"Let him go, Li," MJ begged. "You can take me, but don't hurt him."

"You two have interfered in my plans one too many times. No more," said Mister Negative.

Mister Negative tosses the mask aside and pulls out a detonator. Spinneret's Spider Sense kicked in. There were bombs planted around the warehouse, set to blow. All Mister Negative needs to do is push the button on the detonator.

"You're not crazy enough to kill yourself along with us, are you?" asked MJ.

"Of course not," said Mister Negative. "After all, who'll be alive to expose Norman for the monster he is? No, I'm giving you a choice. Peter's life or yours? I walk out of here with the detonator and you don't follow me. You got about ten seconds to escape. But if you attack me now, I kill Peter right now."

Mister Negative started walking out of the warehouse. MJ didn't know what to do. What are the odds Martin didn't prepare something to make her waste the ten seconds she has once he pushes the button? Despite her conscience telling her to not to do anything and let Li walk out...

She fires a web shot at the detonator, attempt to snatch it from his hand. Mister Negative fires a negative energy blast and hits MJ, preventing her from stealing

"Sha si nage nanhai! _(Kill the boy!)_ " Mister Negative ordered.

"Sha-ra-ma-sa-no... what?" Peter babbled as he woke up.

Demon #1 was about to shoot Peter, until MJ webbed his gun away from him and then webbed him up. She kicks him into unconsciousness before firing webs at the rest of the Demons. Negative Man broke of the webbing easily and attacks.

"Uh, why is Martin Li here and not at The Raft?" Peter wondered, confused. "And why am I tied up?"

Peter breaks free of his ties, but he didn't have his web shooters with him. MJ started fighting Mister Negative up close. She punches him left and right, but he knocks her back with just one negative-energy-powered punch. He fires a negative energy blast at Peter, knocking him down as well.

"Goodbye," said Mister Negative.

Mister Negative starts running as he pushes the button. All the bombs are now activated. Ten seconds until they go off.

"Pete!" MJ cried.

"MJ," Peter grunted in pain.

She webs herself towards him, but she was too late.

BOOM!

As MJ was thrown out of the warehouse by the explosion, she watches Peter get caught in the explosion...

* * *

"PETER!"

MJ woke up from her nap after what she just in her dream. More like a nightmare, actually. She looks around in panic, only to relax when she finds herself still in her apartment. She immediately grabs her phone and checks on Twitter. A tweet just came in about Spider-Man rescuing a man trapped in his car after a car crash. MJ sighed with relief.

"He's alive. Calm down, MJ. He's alive. It was just a dream," she said to herself.

MJ shuts her laptop and leans back on the couch. She needed to calm down after the nightmare she just had.

"It all just felt so real," she said, feeling a little traumatized. "Oh, Pete. I get why you hide your face, but... maybe it's for the best Miles is the one who got bitten. At least he understands Peter's reasons completely. Me, well, I still stand by my argument on masks."

Peter returned, coming in through the window again. He takes off his mask, allowing MJ to see the worried look on his face.

"Are you okay?" asked Peter.

MJ quickly gives Peter a hug. She knows that her seeing him dying was just a nightmare, but she needed to see him and hold him right now. Whether it was real or not, she was scared. After the hug, she gave him a big kiss. Peter was a little overwhelmed by how deep it was, but he didn't try to fight back. He just rolled with it.

"I am now that you're here," MJ said happily.

"Really? 'Cause you looked like someone jump-scared you," said Peter.

"I'm fine," MJ assured. "Say, there's something I need to get at the Bugle. Do you mind swinging me there?"

"Well, sure," said Peter.

Peter puts on his mask and heads for the window. MJ takes out her phone and contacts Miles, telling him that she has something about his powers that she wants to talk to him about tomorrow.

"You ready, milady?" Spider-Man asked, holding his hand out.

MJ takes Spider-Man's hand and he starts swinging around the city on his way to the Daily Bugle. MJ held on to Spider-Man tightly as she looked down at the beautiful sight of nighttime New York. Swinging with Peter is the closest she's going get to being like him. She didn't mind, though. She would rather share this experience with him.

"Pete?" MJ called.

"Yeah?" Spider-Man asked.

"Have you ever wondered what would've happened if I had powers?" asked MJ.

"Well, I'd be worried like heck, but... it could be fun," said Spider-Man.

"Well, no powers for me, thank you. I'm glad to just be Mary Jane Watson: Super Spy and Associate Editor," MJ said humorously.

"It's always good to know that Spider-Cop has an ally to watch over the city with him," Spider-Man said in his gruff voice.

MJ chuckled, amused.

 ** _To CG_: I hope you liked it. Please, tell me what you think. I want to know if I impressed.**

 **NEXT: A Spider-Man and Yuri team-up chapter (still thinking of a chapter title name)**


	10. Corruption

**Time to accept another request. A Spider-Man and Yuri chapter, to be specific.**

 **But please no more requests. I only accept requests when it suits my story. I have so many ideas of my own that I really want to finish. I can't do that if I'm constantly accepting requests. So, please, PLEASE, let me breathe. Just let me breathe. And by "let me breathe", I mean please let me do my own thing. Thank you. (inhale... exhale... inhale... exhale) Sorry if I sounded rude, but... satisfying people's requests is more stressful than writing my own stuff.**

 **A/N: Just writing "Spider-Man said in a gruff/gravely voice" is getting repetitive, so from now on, if you see "Spider-Cop said" after a line of dialogue, it would mean that Spider-Man is speaking in his Spider-Cop voice.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter:** **Felipe Montenegro,** ** ENDDRAGON369, CG, ZOE, BigDragon500, lindleya1**

 ** _To Felipe Montenegro_: You're welcome.**

 ** _To CG_: Easy with the recommendations, please. I can't keep stressing about meeting demands. I would really like to get back to writing my own stuff. Also, I'm not really sure about your new recommendation. I can't keep writing "What if?" stories. I want the characters to move forward, not look back constantly. The main reason I accepted the "What if MJ got bitten?" request is because we were both curious about that.**

 ** _To Dcarus_: I don't understand your review, but I do know that there's a Black Cat DLC coming. I'm waiting for it before I start writing about Black Cat in this story.**

 ** _To ZOE_: Don't worry. Some time after the Black Cat DLC comes out, I'll be writing my first Black Cat chapter.**

Just another day for Spider-Man to swing around Manhattan. It's been practically quiet today. Not much crime except a mugging and a home invasion. So, he thought he'd settle down, hang upside-down from a construction crane, and check on his Twitter profile. Just your usual praises, a few criticisms, and some strange requests. And, of course, the rumors, including the romantic rumors between him and Captain Yuri Watanabe. As if the rumors of him and Silver Sable weren't enough, now the media has suspicions that would lead them to finding out that Yuri is partners with Spider-Man.

"Thanks a lot, Jameson," Spider-Man said with bitter sarcasm. "And speaking of Jameson..."

A new episode of Just the Facts just came out. As always, Spider-Man chooses to listen to it. He just loves and hates to listen to his #1 hater, no matter how laughable his theories are or how infuriating his hatred towards him is..

"What are the odds he's gonna talk about me and Yuri?" Spider-Man wondered.

 _Jameson started. "For the past few weeks, rumors have been crawling all over the internet about a possible romantic connection between that menace Spider-Man and the NYPD's Captain Yuriko Watanabe."_

"Pretty high," Spider-Man said, answering his own question.

 _"We have an officer from the NYPD who is willing to give us insight on the possibilities of these rumors being true," said Jameson. "Speak!"_

 _"So, last time Spider-Man spoke to Captain Watanabe was when he stopped a hostage situation yesterday," said the officer. "They sounded pretty chummy. I listened in and he mentioned something about buying her flowers for a ball."_

"That was a joke," Spider-Man explained, even though no one could hear him.

 _"Anything else?" asked Jameson._

 _"Well, Captain Watanabe said that she would say yes if he got himself a nifty suit," said the officer. "And before he left, Spider-Man asked her if she loves him."_

"Love doesn't necessarily have to mean something romantic, you know!" Spider-Man complained. "Also, Yuri was being sarcastic. At least, it sounded like she was."

 _"This is truly disturbing, folks," said Jameson. "Spider-Man could've hit on any other woman in this city, be it a crazed fangirl or some girl from high school, if he's the creep that I keep saying he is, but out of all of them, he chose to flirt with one of our city's most respected officers of the law. Even worse, it sounds like Captain Watanabe actually entertains the idea of a relationship. SHE HAS FALLEN VICTIM TO HIS FALSE CHARMS!"_

"Well, the ladies do love me. I don't blame Yuri if she does, but I prefer if she was just playing around and not being serious," said Spider-Man. "I have a girlfriend, people. Okay, so they don't know that, but still..."

 _"You make it sound like it's a bad thing," said the officer. "I mean, isn't it nice if they really are in love?"_

 _"Don't you get it, officer? He is targeting the top of the police department just so he can get leeway for his reckless actions," Jameson theorized. "This is only logical explanation as to why she pardons him for all the property damage he causes. Get back to work, officer, and replay this episode to your captain."_

 _"Actually, she's a regular listener to your talk show," said the officer._

 _"In that case, Captain Watanabe, if you're listening... SAVE YOURSELF!" Jameson shouted._

And so that ends another episode of Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson. Or more like, "I Hate Spider-Man with J. Jonah Loudmouthson," as Spider-Man once said. He jokingly though it would be a great replacement name for the show.

"Oh, Yuri, I really wish you didn't listen to this stuff," said Spider-Man.

Just as Spider-Man was about to call Yuri, he got an alert from the crime towers. Fisk Thugs were spotted in a van heading to the Upper East Side. Suddenly, Police Commissioner Aaron Nicholson, who happened to be close to the scene, contacted his officers and told them that it was just teenagers playing dress-up for some Spider-Man fan film.

"A Spider-Man fan film? Hey, I wanna see," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man swings his way towards a warehouse on the Upper East Side to get a sneak peek on this Spider-Man fan film. Perching from a street light, he found the car where the supposed Fisk thugs were riding in. These Fisk thugs seem to be trying to hide from plain sight. They didn't look like teenagers. They were grown men. And they don't even have cameras or any film equipment in the trunk, just guns. Real guns.

"They don't look like cosplayers," said Spider-Man. "Maybe I should intrude on their little gathering..."

Spider-Man sneaks into the warehouse through the ventilation system. He comes out of a vent and hangs upside down from the ceiling in a very dark corner to spy on Fisk's men until he's ready to make his move. They seem to be waiting for someone. That someone came in right now, wearing a trench coat and a hat.

"Sherlock Holmes called. He wants his clothes back," Spider-Man joked.

When this man took off his hat, Spider-Man recognized him. He uses the zoom function of his camera to get a better look at his face and snaps a picture.

"Isn't that Commissioner Aaron Nicholson?" Spider-Man wondered, confused. "Wait, is he in bed with Fisk? Okay, don't word it that way, Peter. Try that again... the NYPD commissioner is working for Fisk?"

* * *

Spider-Man had to tell Yuri about this. So, they set up another meeting at the Chinatown precinct rooftop. Yuri almost choked on her gum when Spider-Man showed her the picture of Commissioner Nicholson having a meeting with Wilson Fisk's thugs. She couldn't believe this, but what she was seeing was real. He wouldn't come to her with this if it was just some joke.

"Are you okay, Yuri?" asked Spider-Man.

"Oh, no. I just found out my boss works for Fisk. Why wouldn't I be okay?" Yuri replied sarcastically.

"Sorry," Spider-Man apologized.

"What were they talking about?" asked Yuri.

"They were talking about getting some of Fisk's men to infiltrate your ranks," said Spider-Man.

"More corrupt cops on the force is the last thing I need," said Yuri. "How are they planning on doing this?"

"By using some guys who have no criminal record other than minor offences such as illegal parking," said Spider-Man. "I mean, let's face it. No one among Fisk's men have empty criminal records."

"Well, I'm not gonna let this happen," said Yuri. "Did they say anything else?"

"Besides the usual Spider-Man-can't-stop-us, no-one-will-suspect-a-thing kind of stuff, not much else," said Spider-Man. "Well, except for Fisk's goons handing over some files. I couldn't check them out because Nicholson left with them. And I don't think attacking the police commissioner's car in broad daylight is just gonna help get Jameson off my back."

"And so you came to me because I can steal those files from him without drawing attention to myself," Yuri guessed.

"Aww, do you feel that? Connection," Spider-Man said, making a gesture that says their minds are linked.

"Well, what am I thinking now?" Yuri asked jokingly.

In his Spider-Cop voice, Spider-Man says, "That you need your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Cop to help you expose this treacherous traitor for making a complete mockery of the law."

"I... okay, that's almost exactly what I was thinking," said Yuri.

"Ooh, what am I thinking?" asked Spider-Man.

"That Spider-Cop needs a vacation?" Yuri joked in a hopeful manner.

"Okay, so maybe we're not that connected," said Spider-Man.

"Breaking and entering into my boss's apartment. Never thought I'd go this far off the books," said Yuri.

"I'd call MJ, but she's in Brooklyn working on a story for the Bugle. And Spider-Boy is... uh... busy," said Spider-Man, trying not to reveal that Spider-Boy is a high school student.

"And Sable's meeting with the President in D.C.," Yuri added. "It's really just us."

"Spider-Cop and The Chief, the two toughest officers in the force, are now all alone on a mission to take down a lawbreaking piece of garbage who calls himself the police commissioner," Spider-Cop narrated. "More like the commissioner of liars and lowlifes."

"You're not a member of the force," Yuri said, annoyed.

"No time for talk, Chief. There is a corrupt scumbag out there who stains the law with his dirty hands," Spider- _Cop_ continued.

Spider-Man swings away to continue keeping an eye on Commissioner Nicholson. Yuri rolled her eyes as she looked at the picture again. Could her boss really be working for Fisk? She had to find out if there's more to this story.

* * *

Yuri drives her car to the apartment building where Commissioner Nicholson lives. He lived on the 9th floor, in room 907. She looked up the rooftops nearby to check for her red-suited partner. There he was, crawling on the side of a wall. He sees her and gives her a thumbs-up. Should she need him to intervene, he'll be one building away. Right now, she has to do this on her own.

 _"Just say the word and I'll swing right in," said Spider-Man._

"But for now, stay hidden," said Yuri. "We don't need anyone tweeting about seeing Spider-Man outside their window."

 _"Hey, if this is about the webbed pervert thing, I was focused on a mission. I didn't exactly count on a naked woman to see me out her window. I swear I didn't even see her," said Spider-Man._

"Just don't do anything until I give you the order," said Yuri. "I'm the captain. You're the Spider-Cop. Know your place in this mission."

 _"Understood, Chief," said Spider-Cop._

Yuri walks into the apartment building and takes the elevator to the 9th floor. As she waited, she thought about what she was doing. If Commissioner Nicholson really is working for Wilson Fisk, then what's gonna happen to the police department if the media ever finds out? She can't deny Spider-Man's claim since he brought her proof. Nicholson has always been a bit of a hothead, but his hotheadedness is what the NYPD needed in his 15-year run as commissioner. She had to put up with his constant issues with her audacious actions, but she respected him nonetheless. All that respect is almost completely gone now.

"You're just doing your job, Yuri," Yuri said to herself.

Yuri exits the elevator as soon as it reached the 9th floor. She walked up to Nicholson's apartment and prepares to ring the doorbell. She takes a deep breath to prepare herself for what must be done. Nicholson's time as commissioner is over, she told herself.

Before she could ring the doorbell, she heard Nicholson talking to someone on the phone. It sounded like he was arguing with someone.

"Fisk, don't worry. Your men will be back within the force soon. I promise that," said Nicholson, unknowingly further confirming his allegiance to the Kingpin.

 _"This better succeed without any problems," said Fisk. It was a video call, hence why Yuri could hear Fisk. "Do your job, commissioner, or I'll do it for you."_

Nicholson hung up and started muttering angry words. Clearly, his partnership with Fisk isn't without its frustrations. Yuri decided now is the time to ring the doorbell. Nicholson answered the door after a long silence.

"Captain, what brings you here?" asked Nicholson.

"I needed to... discuss something with you in private," Yuri lied. "We can't have the department knowing just yet."

"Well, come in," said Nicholson.

Nicholson lets Yuri in. Yuri started keeping an eye out for any suspicious-looking files. But she had to make sure Nicholson isn't suspicious.

"So, what do we have to discuss about, Captain?" asked Nicholson.

After thinking hard, Yuri says, "Offering Spider-Man a place in the force."

"You want Spider-Man working _for_ the police?" Nicholson questioned.

"Public opinion on Spider-Man is positive. But he's still a vigilante," said Yuri. "Having him work with the police department could benefit both the force and the city. More parameters, less property damage..." Jokingly, she added, "And maybe Jameson can finally lay off the hate and the ridiculous rumors."

"Such as the rumors that you're involved with him?" Nicholson added in a joking manner.

"Trust me. He's not my type," said Yuri. "Too puerile. But his heart's in the right place."

"I always thought he was your type. He's a lawbreaker and you're were quite the loose cannon," Nicholson joked.

"Okay, back on topic, please," Yuri pleaded, embarrassed. "But first, mind if I have some coffee?"

"I'm boiling a pot of coffee right now. I'll pour you a cup as soon as it's finished," Nicholson offered.

While Nicholson was in the kitchen waiting for the coffee to finish brewing, Yuri snuck off to look for the files. She has to do it quickly before he finds out. A slightly open bedside table drawer caught her eye. Inside were files of people who were clearly Fisk's men who Nicholson selected to infiltrate the force. Their recorded criminal records consisted of only very minor offenses that would not even make them suspects of being Fisk thugs, just potential alcoholics or hotheads.

"You son of a..."

Yuri was interrupted when she heard the sound of the cocking of a gun. She turns around slowly, sneakily turns on her phone's speakerphone so Spider-Man can listen in, and sees Nicholson aiming his gun at her.

"I knew it," said Nicholson.

"What are you talking about?" asked Yuri.

"You work with Spider-Man. Very closely, I suspected," said Nicholson. "You didn't think that I was expecting him to spy on me, do you? The supposed Fisk Goon cosplayers on the Upper East Side... that was just a ruse to lure him to me. We had a hidden camera recording the entire meeting and it saw him watching us. I figured he'd report back to you."

"And you knew I'd come here," Yuri realized.

"You're a good cop, Captain. One of the best in spite how difficult you can be at times," Nicholson said with sincere respect. "But I'm afraid I can't let you walk out of here."

Before Nicholson can pull the trigger, Spider-Man comes crashing in through the window and webs the gun away from the commissioner.

"You're busted, buster!" Spider-Cop said.

"What's wrong with your voice?" asked Nicholson, confused.

"You heard him, Nicholson. You're busted," Yuri said as she aimed her gun at her boss.

Nicholson slowly reaches for his phone and calls someone, saying, "Open fire."

Suddenly, gunshots from outside rained all over the apartment, giving Nicholson a chance to escape. Spider-Man had to grab Yuri and find cover to keep her from behind riddled by bullets. He lifts up the bed and uses it as a shield from the gunfire. The gunfire kept going on and on and lasted for about over a minute. Then it stopped. Both Spider-Man and Yuri are bullet-free.

"Snipers," Spider-Man realized. "Dang it! Why didn't I see them?"

"Forget why and just web 'em up," Yuri ordered. "I'll go after Nicholson."

Spider-Man swings out the window and engages the snipers. They were stationed in two separate rooftops across the street. Spider-Man starts with the four snipers to the left and immediately started webbing up all of their faces. He uppercuts Fisk Thug #1 and repeatedly punches him in the air before web-throwing him down at Fisk Thug #2. Spider-Man fires an Electric Web at Fisk Thug #3 and then flip-kicks him to the wall. Fisk Thug tried hitting him with his gun, but Spider-Man dodges every swing.

"You rip my webbing off your face and your first decision is to hit me with your gun instead of shooting me?" Spider-Man questioned humorously. "I thought goons were dumb, but you take the cake."

Spider-Man unleashes quick kicks on Fisk Thug #4 and finishes him off with a back-flip kick to the face.

Yuri, meanwhile, took the second elevator down to the ground floor since Nicholson already rode the first elevator before she could get to him. The elevator doors open for Yuri to see three Fisk Thugs trying to kidnap Nicholson.

"Help! Captain, help!" Nicholson shouted.

He was faking it, she could tell. This kidnapping must be just a setup to portray Nicholson as a victim. Yuri had to run and hide when one Fisk Thug started shooting at her. This gave the Fisk Thugs time to get out with Nicholson.

"Shoot!" Yuri cursed.

Spider-Man called her. She answered.

 _"Yuri, Nicholson just got abducted by Fisk's men and they're stuffing him in the back of a van," said Spider-Man._

"It's an act. He's pretending to be a kidnapped victim so no one would suspect him," Yuri said. "Chase them!"

 _"I am," said Spider-Man. "But one problem."_

"What?" asked Yuri.

 _"RPG!" Spider-Man shouted._

Five seconds later, Yuri heard an explosion outside. The explosion caused a mini-quake. Yuri immediately ran outside to see what happened. She found a big crater in the middle of the road, obviously caused by the RPG. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Unfortunately, Spider-Man was. He lied down in the middle of the crater too hurt to get up on his own. Yuri quickly ran to him to make sure he was alive.

He was still breathing and moving, so that's good news.

"I'd ask if you're okay, but I think the answer's obvious," said Yuri.

"It's just a scratch. I've been through worse," Spider-Man said humorously, despite sound weak and hurt.

"An RPG almost blew you up and you're still cracking jokes?" Yuri questioned with a smile.

"You know me," said Spider-Man.

* * *

Yuri had to take Spider-Man to the hospital for medical treatment... again. Last time, she found him floating above water on a barrel half-dead. Fourteen broken bones from fighting the Sinister Six. She hopes it's not worse this time. She waited outside the room where Spider-Man was being treated. She checked the crime towers for a clue of where Nicholson could be, but there was none. She still couldn't believe this. Commissioner Nicholson was a no-nonsense commissioner who cared about nothing more than making sure all criminals in the city are locked up. That was obviously a lie.

"Why are you doing this, Nicholson?" Yuri wondered.

The doctor treating Spider-Man exited the room to report to Yuri about his condition.

"How is he?" Yuri asked, concerned.

"Three broken bones and a nasty headache," said the doctor. "But he'll be fine. His condition isn't as bad as last time."

"Well, he heals fast," Yuri informed.

"But he's still human, just like the rest of us," said the doctor. "Which means he needs rest."

"May I go and see him?" asked Yuri.

The doctor nodded and let Yuri inside. Spider-Man lied on his bed watching TV. He was watching a show about a man with super speed who fights crime dressed in a red suit with a lightning bolt in his chest.

"And The Chief stayed to see Spider-Cop awake from surgery," said Spider-Cop.

Yuri rolled her eyes, but smiled because she was glad he was okay.

"So, any leads on Nicholson?" asked Spider-Man.

"Not yet," said Yuri. "But we'll find him, as soon as you rest."

"But we must apprehend Nicholson. He doesn't deserve his position," said Spider-Cop.

In Spider-Man's attempt to sit up, he only hurt himself. His rib ached due to how much effort he's exerting in trying to get back on his feet.

"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow, ow, ow," Spider-Man complained. "Okay, I'll rest. But just for a few hours. I fought the Sinister Six with fourteen broken bones. What's three broken bones to someone like Spider-Cop? Ha-ha... ow!"

"I just can't believe Nicholson would do this," said Yuri. "All this talk about how criminals are scum and how insufferable but capable I am, it's all been a lie."

"Sometimes, it's the people closest to us who hide something dark from us," said Spider-Man, remembering Martin Li and Otto Octavius.

"Corrupt cops. Corrupt commissioner. I just don't know what I'm doing anymore," Yuri complained. She looked at her badge and said, "This is supposed to mean something. You wear it, you're devoted entirely to the law. But if someone who wears the title of commissioner could fall like this... am I even in the right place?"

"Hey, don't ask yourself that. You _are_ in the right place, Yuri," said Spider-Man. "You're the best cop in town. You can't let the actions of Nicholson or any dirty cop to make you question your place in this city."

"But what's gonna happen once we expose Nicholson?" Yuri wondered. "The highest position of the police force has been compromised... can the city still trust the police?"

"I trust you," said Spider-Man.

"And I appreciate that," said Yuri. "But this is bigger that just one person's trust. The police, they have one job: protect the people of New York. And yet, for some people like Nicholson, that's not enough."

"Okay, why don't you just sit down and watch TV with me?" Spider-Man suggested. "Last thing this mission needs is the contentious captain who wanted to shoot Tombstone in the face."

"I'm as focused as you are on bringing down Nicholson, Spider-Man," Yuri insisted. "I just... maybe... okay, I suppose I could use a breather."

Spider-Man gestured to a chair next to his bed for Yuri to sit on. Yuri did. She didn't know what to think of the show he's watching, but right now, all she can do is watch while she waits for both Spider-Man and herself to feel better.

"Is he... throwing lightning from his hands?" Yuri asked.

"Awesome, isn't it?" Spider-Man replied.

* * *

Three hours later, Spider-Man and Yuri get back on the streets to locate and arrest Nicholson.

Thanks to a tip from a few civilians, Spider-Man and Yuri located the van where Fisk's thugs took Nicholson in. It returned to the same warehouse on the Upper East Side where Spider-Man saw Nicholson meet with Fisk's men. Two police cars were at the scene. The four cops who drove there clearly heard about Nicholson's kidnapping and responded to the tip from the civilians who saw the van. Yuri was glad to have some backup, but she wanted to approach this alone.

"When I give the signal, come for me," Yuri ordered. "Until then, secure the perimeter."

"What about _him_?" One officer asked, pointing up.

Spider-Man was perched on top of a street light, waving down at the officers below. One officer waved back, clearly a big fan of the wall-crawler.

"He's coming in with me," said Yuri.

A male officer elbowed a fellow officer and shot a teasing look at the captain, clearly a believer in this rumor of Spider-Man and Yuri being more than on good terms with one another. Yuri ignored him and proceeded inside. Spider-Man crawled around the place to sneak find a place to sneak in. He couldn't go in the vent again since Nicholson's camera saw him come through there. He had to find another way in.

Yuri, on the other hand, entered through the front door with her gun raised and her finger on the trigger. Six Fisk Thugs were inside. Nicholson was just sitting in the middle of the room, pretending to be tied up when he really wasn't. His ties weren't tightened strongly enough, and that was clearly intentional.

"Hands up, all of you!" Yuri ordered.

"You heard the captain, boys. Hands up," Nicholson said casually and jokingly.

All Fisk Thugs in the warehouse put their hands in the air. Nicholson stands up from the chair, but still kept the ropes around his wrists just in case.

"Two cop cars outside. Four officers. Not exactly what I call backup," said Nicholson.

"More are coming," said Yuri.

"But we'll be finished way before they arrive," said Nicholson.

"Yo, commissioner!" One Fisk Thug called.

An seventh and eighth Fisk Thug showed up dragging a badly hurt Spider-Man across the floor. His suit was burning as if he was electrocuted or he walked into a roaring fire. This worried Yuri.

"Back door... booby-trapped," Spider-Man said weakly. "So much zapping... ow, again!"

 _"Captain, what's your situation?" An officer asked through the radio._

"Tell them everything is under control," Nicholson ordered.

Yuri picks up her radio and says, "Keep guarding the perimeter. I'm good here. Don't come in until I say so."

Nicholson then removed the ropes from his wrist and grabs his gun. He walks closer towards Spider-Man and aims the gun at him.

"I'm giving you a chance to end things peacefully, Captain," said Nicholson. "Put down your weapon and we'll pretend that you rescued me. You'll be a hero. Fisk's men here will even sell the act."

"Why, Aaron?" asked Yuri. "Why are you doing this? Working with Fisk? Have you lost your mind?"

"This city was more or less peaceful before all these costumed nutjobs showed up," said Nicholson. "Then Spider-Man and the likes of Rhino, Vulture, and Doctor Octavius showed up and this city has become far worse than it was. I looked into Fisk's activities years ago and the way I see, he actually kept order in this city. He was a necessary evil, Yuriko. Working with him meant the officers of the NYPD will be spared and the criminals of this city would be kept in check. This vigilante you admire so much, he's not the answer to our problems. It's me. I am the ANSWER!"

"The Answer? Is that your supervillain nickname? The Answer? Ha!" Spider-Man said insultingly. "That's so lame."

"Shut up, bug man," Nicholson growled.

"You're a disgrace to the title of commissioner, Aaron," Yuri said with hostility. "No matter how much you drove me crazy, I believed in you. Your stand against criminals, I admired that. You yell at me all the time, but I still respected you."

"Put down the gun, Yuriko," Nicholson ordered. "You don't want your boyfriend here to suffer the consequences, huh?"

Yuri could laugh hysterically over this joke being told at such a wrong time, but all she did was glare at Nicholson with contempt. But there was also fear in her eyes, fear of failing Spider-Man.

"Hey, Aaron boy," Spider-Man called.

Spider-Man attempts to push himself back up.

"Her name..." Spider-Man continued despite the pain. "Is Yuri!"

Spider-Man webs Nicholson's gun away from him and then throws it back at his face. Spider-Man fires a Suspension Matrix to keep four Fisk Thugs suspended in mid-air. He webs Fisk Thug #5's gun away from him, spins around fast to hit Nicholson and the other thugs with the gun, and then throws it at Nicholson, hitting him in the face again.

Yuri shoots immediately and kills three Fisk Thugs. Nicholson picks up a nearby gun and shoots at Yuri, who manages to run away before she got shot.

Spider-Man webs up all of the Fisk Thugs suspended in the air. While he let three of them fall down, he web-grabbed one and web-threw him at Fisk Thug #8. He web-zips himself towards Fisk Thug #8 and knocks him out with one big punch.

"Now we're even," said Spider-Man, still feeling kinda bitter about the booby trap from earlier.

Nicholson, while shooting at Yuri, grabs a grenade from one of the unconscious Fisk Thugs and throws it at Spider-Man. Spider-Man was about to web-throw it back at Nicholson, but he sprained his arm, which was still injured from the RPG. Failing to react, the grenade blew up in front of him and sent him flying back. He is now lying on his back, very hurt, with Nicholson aiming his gun at him.

"I used to think you were a necessary evil too, Spider-Man," said Nicholson. "But now, you're just a pest that needs to be removed. So, say goodb..."

Nicholson was interrupted by three bullets to his back. He falls down on his knees and then on his face, dying immediately from the bullet wounds. Spider-Man knew where the bullets came from.

Yuri.

"Are you okay?" asked Yuri.

"Just a sprain," Spider-Man joked.

"Is everything a joke to you?" asked Yuri.

"Like I said, you know me," said Spider-Man.

"Despite not knowing who's behind the mask, I do," said Yuri.

Spider-Man and Yuri take the time to look at Nicholson's dead body. Yuri had to shoot the police commissioner just to save Spider-Man. Yuri looked like she had little regret for what she did, for obvious reasons. Nicholson was corrupt, but she knew him and respected him long enough for her hand in his death to affect her.

"You okay?" asked Spider-Man.

"I have no regrets," said Yuri.

"You killed a police commissioner just to rescue me," said Spider-Man. "I'm thankful, but... I feel guilty for putting you in that position. I should've stayed in the hospital for a few more hours."

"Hey, we stopped a corrupt commissioner from poisoning the city. That's a win, even if the means were not pleasant," said Yuri. "But now... I'm gonna be wanted for the murder of my boss."

"Not if we prove that Nicholson was working with Fisk," said Spider-Man. "We have the files, the picture, not to mention a lot of Fisk Thugs to interrogate. So what if the gun used to kill Aaron was yours? No one will blame you if it was to save me."

"But now we need a new commissioner," said Yuri. "And finding one Fisk won't compromise, I have my doubts. This city, it brings out the desperation in even the best people. How do we know the next commissioner won't become corrupt?"

"Maybe you should be the new commissioner," Spider-Man suggested.

"Me? Oh, hell no," Yuri refused.

"Oh, heck yeah," Spider-Man replied. "Yuri, you're the best. You know that. Who better to lead the police force than the best?"

"This isn't just a higher position of power, Spider-Man. It's a job that comes with even more responsibility than Captain," said Yuri.

"Yuri, ever since I started working with you, I never had any regrets," said Spider-Man. "You can be hard to be around with and you're almost devoid of a sense of humor..."

"Are you done?" Yuri interrupted.

"But you prioritize the safety of this city over everything," said Spider-Man. "We both know you are one of the good ones. Definitely one of the good ones. Who better to lead the boys and girls in blue than you? Commissioner Watanabe. Sounds good."

Yuri stayed silent as she thought. Being commissioner is gonna be harder than her current position, but she did see Spider-Man's point. She just discovered that the now deceased police commissioner was corrupt. She knows who not to be if she ever accepted his position. She knows right from wrong. She may not be the best cop in terms of attitude, but she always puts the people and the city of New York first.

"I'll talk to the mayor," said Yuri, agreeing to his suggestion.

"You probably can't tell, but I'm smiling right now," said Spider-Man. He changed his voice and said, "You've made Spider-Cop a proud officer, Chief."

"And you've made me proud of you," said Yuri. "Too many times, in fact. I am beginning to regret working you less and less with every single day that passes."

The two just looked at each other with smiles. Spider-Man was definitely smiling underneath the mask. It's hard not to tell. Yuri just said something nice to Spider-Man, so a smile was warranted.

"If I didn't have a girlfriend, this would've been the perfect moment for a first kiss," said Spider-Man.

Yuri groans and walks away. But she smiled anyway.

"So, should Spider-Cop stop calling you Chief from now on?" asked Spider-Man. "What should he call you? Commish? Skipper?"

"Actually, I'll stick with _The Chief_ ," said Yuri. "It's grown on me."

"You really like me," Spider-Man said, touched.

* * *

A few days later, the revelation of Aaron Nicholson as a traitor and a subordinate of Wilson Fisk was shared throughout the city. The new mayor announced that she is announcing the new commissioner of the New York Police Department. Lots of people gathered around City Hall for the announcement. The police were present for the event, but they don't know who the new commissioner is. So, it's gonna be a surprise to them as it will be to the people.

The mayor steps up to the podium and speaks.

"Three days ago, Aaron Nicholson was revealed to be a corrupt man who used his position as police commissioner in the worst way possible," the mayor started. "Collaborating with a criminal like Wilson Fisk was an act more despicable than anyone could imagine. But now that he is no longer with us, the NYPD has been searching for a replacement. And I have just the right person for the job. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to present to you the new police commissioner... Yuriko Watanabe."

The people and the police officers cheered as Yuri stepped on stage and shook hands with the mayor. They smiled for the cameras so the papers can have a good shot for the front cover story.

The mayor lets Yuri stand behind the podium so she can speak to the people about this wonderful honor.

After a long silence, Yuri spoke. "When I started out as a cadet working my way to officer, all I cared about was the welfare of this city. Granted, my public reputation as a bit of a firebrand was always concerning to my co-workers and to the press, but I just wanted to do my job. A police officer's job is to put the people above all else. That's what the badge stands for. I never thought I would ever become a captain, much less a commissioner, but here I am and... I am honored. I promise to use my new position to continue serving this city as I have done for the past sixteen years. I won't let you down, ever."

The crowd cheered again. Yuri steps aside to let the mayor speak. The new commissioner took a deep breath, relieved that it was over. She was not the best with public speeches, but she felt that she nailed this one.

As the mayor spoke, Yuri noticed a presence on top of a nearby rooftop. Watching her from above...

Spider-Man.

Or should she say, Spider-Cop.

The masked superhero saluted to her. She smiled, happy to know that he would be by her side through this next phase of her career as a law enforcer. After all, The Chief needs Spider-Cop.

 **Commissioner Yuriko Watanabe. Does that sound good? I hope it does. Why not? Yuri may be the police commissioner now, but she will always be _The Chief_ to Spider-Cop.**

 **So, what do you think? Please give me your full, honest opinion.**

 **Note:**

 **\- Did you catch a reference to a certain DC superhero here?**

 **\- Aaron Nicholson is a name from the comics. A supervillain nicknamed "Answer". I de-powered him and turned him into a normal person here, however. But hey, not the first time it's ever happened.**


	11. Shocks to Be You

**It's been a while since we've seen Miles Morales. Time for some Spider-Men duo kick-butt action.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: roxasduelwielder, grapewater, jminator, gammaxmen80, Redwall, Felipe Montenegro, josephguy217, BrandonKR**

 ** _To roxasduelwielder_: Well, there are so many stories to explore, including your suggestion.**

 ** _To grapewater_: I am overwhelmed. Thanks for the advice, though.**

 ** _To jminator_: Thanks for that. I just really want to get back to enjoying what I do. It's more fun if it's my own thing.**

 ** _To gammaxmen80_: Ooh, missed opportunity. Sorry that I didn't think of that. I was in such a rush. Maybe I'll add that joke in another chapter.**

 ** _To Panther-10_: Besides that one time with Spider-Man and Wolverine, I'm not really a fan of the body-switch stuff. Sure, it could be funny, but... oh boy.**

Miles just returned home after another day at school. He seemed very excited about that, all because that meant he has the rest of the day to put on his black homemade suit and go out on patrol as Spider-Boy. It's been a fun experience for him so far, using his powers for good and helping the people of New York. Between that and F.E.A.S.T., Miles feels like his life is finally turning around for the better after the death of his father, Jefferson Davis. He's the reason Miles is doing all this, after all.

"You look happy," Rio noticed.

"Another science test, another A+," said Miles, showing his mother the paper.

"How about gym?" Rio asked. "Your gym teacher's been telling me that you've improved greatly."

"Puberty, I guess," Miles joked.

Rio laughed a little. Unbeknownst to her, Miles' spider powers have helped him quite a lot at gym. Climbing ropes, doing jumps and flips, and dodgeball are just a piece of cake to Miles now.

"By the way, I'm gonna be heading to F.E.A.S.T. early," said Miles. "I don't have any homework to do anyways."

"Be sure to say hi to Gloria for me," said Rio.

"I will," Miles promised.

Just as Miles was about to go upstairs, Rio turns on the TV and the two see the latest news on Spider-Man. He had just busted an assassin paid to assassinate the new mayor. Stopping him may have caused a mess on a rooftop, but in the end, the assassin gets webbed up into a nice little web cocoon.

"He's awesome, isn't he?" asked Miles.

"The city owes him way too much, that's for sure," said Rio. "But remember, if you see him in a fight, keep your distance or run away."

"Hey, what do you think about his new sidekick, Spider-Boy?" asked Miles, wondering what his mom thinks of his alter-ego.

"From what I've heard, he could use more guidance," said Rio.

"Yeah, I guess," Miles said.

He can't help but agree.

Just last week, he tried to stop a getaway car. He ended up steering it towards a tank truck. He managed to save the truck's driver and the criminals, but the exploding truck caused quite a mess. No casualties, but a big mess. Let's just say Peter and MJ had to act like two disappointed parents when they heard about this.

"Well, I just gotta pick up a few things upstairs and then I'll be going," said Miles.

Miles grabs his Spider-Boy stuff and puts them in his backpack. He runs back downstairs and hurriedly heads for the door, only for his mother to stop him for a goodbye kiss on the cheek.

"Be safe," said Rio. "I love you."

"I love you too, mom," said Miles.

* * *

Meanwhile, Spider-Man was just sitting on F.E.A.S.T.'s rooftop enjoying a chocolate glazed doughnut and a cup of coffee. He needed some refreshment after stopping an assassination. The assassin was quite the fighter, which is why the battle lasted longer than he expected and why the rooftop where they fought in is full of cracks and bullet holes.

"Jonah's next episode usually comes out by now," said Spider-Man, checking his phone. "He must be doing something really important for him to not be ranting about my latest heroics right now."

Spider-Man then gets a call from Yuri.

He answered. "Commissioner Watanabe, what can I do for you?"

 _"Still not used to that title," Yuri muttered. "Shocker's on the loose."_

"Shocker? Again?" Spider-Man complained. "That's like the eight time in the last four months."

 _"I know, right?" Yuri said, sharing his annoyance. "He just trashed the Williamsburg Bridge. My officers will take care of it, but you have to stop Shocker."_

"How long has it been since he attacked the bridge?" asked Spider-Man.

 _"Fifteen minutes ago," said Yuri._

"And considering his shocking super jump ability, he could be anywhere," said Spider-Man. "I'll just follow signs of..."

Spider-Man was cut off when Shocker showed up out of nowhere, pounding down on the road just in front of F.E.A.S.T. where the web crawler is. The nearby civilians ran as Shocker angrily created a field of electricity too dangerous for anyone to get close to.

"I think I found him," Spider-Man said to the commissioner. "Call you back, Yuri."

Shocker fires a shock beam at Spider-Man. Spider-Man dodges it, but the beam damages part of F.E.A.S.T.'s rooftop, which no doubt alerted the people inside that something is going on.

"Whoa, Herman! There's perfectly nice homeless people inside," said Spider-Man.

"I don't care," said Shocker. "I was paid to capture or kill you, and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

"I thought you don't want to hurt me," said Spider-Man.

"That changes now!" Shocker shouted.

Shocker shouted from the top of his lungs as he fired another shock beam at Spider-Man. Spider-Man dodges the beam and then web-zips himself towards Shocker for a face punch. Shocker quickly counters with a shock punch powered by his gauntlet. Spider-Man crashes onto the trunk of a car, scaring the person inside who was just about to start the car.

"You may wanna run for your life," Spider-Man said to the car's owner.

Spider-Man fires two web shots at Shocker and pulls him away from F.E.A.S.T. Shocker breaks free from the web ropes and fires two shock beams. Spider-Man jumps out of the way, webs a car door, and web-throws it at Shocker, temporarily stunning him. Spider-Man web-zips himself to Shocker again to punch and kick him in the face many times until he decides to give up.

Shocker recovers quickly and throws his own punches. Spider-Man was just too quick, so Shocker was only getting angrier with each failed punch he throws.

"Whoa, Herman, if you would just listen," Spider-Man said in between dodges. "How about we do this away from the homeless shelter? Sound good? Wanna thumb wrestle for it?"

Shocker wouldn't stop punching and grunting angrily. Spider-Man keeps on dodging until he started whistling and doing casual gestures in between dodges, as if this was no big deal.

"Okay, one question," said Spider-Man. "How much money were you promised? And who's paying you?"

"Just some guy with a skull for a mask," Shocker answered while punching.

"Unless we're talking about Red Skull, it must be... Taskmaster?" Spider-Man realized, confused. "But how did he get out of Ryker's?"

"Don't know, don't care. But he's offering me six figures to take you out," said Shocker.

"Six figures? I thought I was worth more than that," said Spider-Man, pretending to sound offended.

Spider-Man decided it was time to stop with the dodging and lure Shocker away from F.E.A.S.T. He web-swings away from the seasoned criminal, prompting said criminal to chase after him. This was quite a change in situation. Usually, it's Spider-Man chasing Shocker across the city. But desperate times call for crazy measures, which include turning the tables.

"Nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya! You can't catch me!" Spider-Man taunted.

"Shut up and stop moving!" Shocker replied loudly.

"I can stop moving, but I'm not sure about shutting up," Spider-Man joked.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Miles Morales, a.k.a. Spider-Boy, was taking the "long" route to F.E.A.S.T. He definitely was going to F.E.A.S.T., but he wanted to do patrol first. So far, there has been nothing. That gave him the time to work on his swinging. He was starting to get better at swinging from greater heights. He hasn't reached Avengers Tower level yet, though. He has a long way to go before he gets there.

Spider-Boy stops at the top of a giant billboard that advertises J. Jonah Jameson's talk show, Just the Facts. Oh, how Miles hated that talk show. He's been a regular listener, but only to see if Jameson is capable of praising Spider-Man.

"Hey, Jameson. You've got a little something on your mustache," Spider-Boy taunted.

Spider-Boy aims his Web Shooters at Jameson's mustache on the billboard and fires, repeatedly, covering the mustache with his webbing.

"I know this is vandalism, but this is so worth it," Spider-Boy said to himself.

The rookie's moment of fun was interrupted when he got an alert on his phone. Police reported of Spider-Man being chased by the recently-escaped Shocker around Chinatown.

"No way you're facing him alone," said Miles.

Spider-Boy quickly swings towards Chinatown.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man swings from one building to the next as fast as he could while his Spider Sense helps him dodge Shocker's shock beams. Good thing he was aiming at the sky. That way, nobody gets hurt even if Spider-Man dodges them. The chase has been going on for five minutes, yet it feels like forever.

"You know what, Herman, how about we take five?" Spider-Man suggested jokingly and hopefully. "Not that I'm tired. I'm just tired of running from you."

Spider-Man let his cool demeanor get in the way of his awareness of his Spider Sense, causing him to be late to react to Shocker's next blast, which knocked him out of the air. Spider-Man crashes into the Stuyvesant Town Fountain, attracting everyone's attention with his big splash. Unfortunately, the fountain's shallow depth meant his landing was still hard on the back.

"Ow," Spider-Man said in a squeaky voice.

Shocker came crashing in just a few seconds later. The civilians ran for their lives. Some fanboys and fangirls recorded the event while hiding in a safe place.

Spider-Man gets back up as Shocker starts charging his gauntlets again, preparing to continue the fight.

"Okay, forget take five... ow! How about we take twenty? Maybe thirty?" Spider-Man asked hopefully.

"You talk too much!" Shocker shouted.

"Didn't we talk about this at the bank?" Spider-Man remembered. "I mean, how do you define, talking too much? I mean, I can think of a few more ways on how to measure how one talks."

"RRAAAAAA!" Shocker screamed, annoyed.

Shocker was about to fire another blast, until Spider-Boy showed up and swing-kicked him down.

"Mil... I mean... Spider-Boy... what are you doing here?" asked Spider-Man, all the while holding his still aching back.

"Saving you, apparently," said Spider-Boy.

"I thought we talked about this," said Spider-Man.

"Hey, you should be thanking me. He'd zap you again if I didn't show up," said Spider-Boy.

"Kid, look out!" Spider-Man warned.

Spider-Boy's Spider Sense told him to jump to avoid Shocker's incoming shock blast. While in mid-air, Spider-Boy fires electrically-powered web shots (powered by his own bio-electricity) at Shocker, restraining him and shocking him so he can fire another shot.

"There. Bad guy captured. Game over," Spider-Boy celebrated.

"Uh, Herman here may be stupid, but not stupid enough to insulate his suit from electric attacks," said Spider-Man.

Shocker was indeed unfazed by Miles bio-electricity. He uses his gauntlets to break free from the webbing. He fires another shock blast at Spider-Boy, hitting him successfully this time and sending him crashing towards a tree.

"Hey, leave him alone," Spider-Man said protectively.

Spider-Man webs Shocker's gauntlets and tries to wrestle them away from him, pulling as hard as he can. With Shocker distracted by the tug of war, Spider-Man quickly fires another shot. An Impact Web shot. Shocker gets webbed up and stuck to a tree. He squirms in an attempt to get out, but the Impact Web proved to be way stronger than ordinary web shots.

"Please stay there," Spider-Man pleaded with a I'm-so-done-with-this tone.

Spider-Man checks on Spider-Boy. He seemed alright, if a little hurt from Shocker's blast.

"I guess being able to wield electric powers doesn't make me immune to electricity," Spider-Boy said.

Spider-Man turns around to check on Shocker. Unfortunately, not only did he escape from his webbing but he also escaped.

"We gotta go after him," said Spider-Boy.

"No, you're going home," said Spider-Man.

"What?!" Spider-Boy shouted.

"F.E.A.S.T. or your house. But not here," said Spider-Man.

"Are you grounding me, man?" Spider-Boy accused.

"F.E.A.S.T. or your mom's place. Now," Spider-Man said, sounding like an angry parent.

* * *

Miles chose F.E.A.S.T. He didn't want his mom seeing that he was feeling bothered.

Peter showed up twenty minutes later. He stopped to look at plaque that says, "In Memory of May Parker and her enduring spirit." It even included a saying that Aunt May loved to tell everyone. "When you help someone, you help everyone." Peter misses her so much, but he knew that he had to move on, just like with Uncle Ben. He reminded himself that he has enough to be happy. A girlfriend and good friends (those who know his secret identity and those who don't but respect him). Peter proceeds to the kitchen to find Miles.

"We need to talk," said Peter.

Peter and Miles head to the office that once belonged to Aunt May to talk in secret.

"You shouldn't have gotten involved," said Peter. "I'm grateful you saved me, but you shouldn't have been there."

"Dude, we've been through this. I get it. You don't think I'm ready for the big-name villains yet," said Miles. "But what was I supposed to do? Just let you die."

"I would've been fine," Spider-Man assured him.

"Dude, I know I'm still green, but I can be ready if you just let me," said

"Miles, you have a mom, who just lost her husband. Sure, I let you go up against street thugs and drug dealers but only because they're Level 1 threats," said Spider-Man. "Shocker. Vulture. Rhino. Those guys are super dangerous. Emphasis on super."

"I faced Rhino once," said Miles.

"You were hiding from him. You didn't even have powers back then," Peter remembered. "Miles, I thought we talked about rushing into danger."

"Yes, but I did it to save you, whether you thought you needed it or not," said Miles.

"I am not gonna be responsible for your mother losing her son," said Peter. "I'm going after Shocker, but I'm going after him alone."

"Dude, I thought we were a team," said Miles.

"We are," said Peter. "But for now, no more superhero duties for you until tomorrow. I have to stop Shocker. I can't do that if I have to keep worrying about you."

Peter leaves F.E.A.S.T. to continue his pursuit of Shocker. Miles just stood there in the office feeling kinda angry at Peter.

* * *

Spider-Man returned to the streets to look for Shocker. He disappeared and was nowhere to be found, which is odd. He's a man in a yellow suit and leaves potholes every time he leaps across town. Spider-Man hangs by a rooftop close to the Chinatown precinct as he waits for his crime system link to give him a lead on Shocker. He paces back and forth as he waits.

He stopped pacing when his phone rang. It was MJ.

"Hey, MJ," Spider-Man greeted.

 _"Hey, Pete," MJ greeted. "Listen, I talked to Miles and he sounded very upset. He didn't want to talk about it, but I convinced him to tell me everything. He told what you said to him."_

"Everything?" asked Spider-Man.

 _"Everything," MJ confirmed. "Pete, trust me. I also don't think Miles is ready for the supervillains, but if Shocker almost killed you, then Miles had every right to intervene. He's not just your sidekick. He's your partner too. You should be able to trust him to have your back."_

"I just can't let him go against something too dangerous, MJ," said Spider-Man.

 _"Why not?" asked MJ._

"Because I don't want to lose him like I lost his father!" Spider-Man exploded.

A brief silence occurs. Spider-Man breathes slowly in order to calm down from his outburst. MJ was surprised by what he shouted about.

 _"Is that why you don't want Miles to fight Shocker? Because you're afraid of what happened to his father will happen to him?" MJ asked._

"I failed Jeff, MJ. I don't wanna fail Miles too," Spider-Man said, voice cracking due to grief.

 _"Peter, Miles isn't like his father. He's something more," said MJ. "Miles is just like you, Peter. He can defend himself. He has powers that he once dreamed of having."_

"There were so many times I wanted to hang up the webs when I was his age," said Spider-Man. "I had to grow up a little faster even in my first few years as Spider-Man. Miles, on the other hand, he embraces it fully. He's still the same kid he's always been, the Spider-Man fanboy, only now he's living the way I do."

 _"He doesn't need a overprotective big brother, Peter. He needs a mentor, a guide, someone who can help him adjust to his powers in the right way, someone who can teach him how to fight crime without losing sense of what's really important," said MJ. "If you keep babying him like you did with me, you're gonna lose him."_

Spider-Man was a little taken back by the reminder of when he treated MJ like a baby when she insisted confronting danger head-on. But he knew she was right.

* * *

Back at F.E.A.S.T., Miles was organizing some boxes. The TV was on and the seniors were watching the news. Reports of Spider-Man and Spider-Boy's fight with Shocker was top story today. Online videos showed how the two costumed superheroes failed to stop Shocker from getting away. Miles looked away, but he couldn't stop feeling angry at Peter for what happened the last time they talked. Speaking of Peter...

He just got a text from him, asking him to meet him on the roof. He also told Miles to put on his suit.

Miles puts on his homemade suit and meets with Spider-Man on the rooftop of F.E.A.S.T. The OG web-slinger was watering the plants. He never minded helping around in F.E.A.S.T., especially when he came to visit Aunt May.

"Yuri called me earlier. She said that Shocker is at the Recessed Fountain Plaza," said Spider-Man. "He carved a spider-shaped crater on the ground just to get my attention."

"Well, why aren't you there stopping him now?" Miles asked bitterly.

Spider-Man faces his protege and says, "I'm really sorry, Miles. I really am. I never should've treated you like a little boy. That was wrong of me. I know you have these powers and you can take care of yourself. I know you have the will and determination to help others because you know it's the right thing to do. I was just... I blamed myself so many times for what happened to your father. I didn't want to fail him again by losing you."

"Pete, I don't blame you for what happened to Dad. You know that," said Miles. "All you did was put Kingpin behind bars because he belonged there. I blame Martin Li because he chose to go down the road that led to the City Hall bombing."

"I know," said Spider-Man. "But still, I don't what I would do with myself if I failed you. Now, I realize that I can't keep holding myself responsible for everything. You make your own choices. My job is just to help you grow up and learn more about this life I chose. Instead of grounding you like a child, I should've helped you like a mentor, a partner."

"So, what are you saying?" asked Miles. "Are you gonna let me fight Shocker?"

"Just stick close to me and follow my lead," said Spider-Man. "There's a reason I keep saying you're not ready, but now may be the time for you to prove to me that you are."

Miles smiled underneath the mask.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go kick Shocker's butt," Miles said excitedly.

* * *

Shocker was, as one would say, going crazy at the Recessed Fountain Plaza. Yuri and the police were there to contain the situation, but Shocker keeps blasting anyone who dares to come closer. Fortunately, hope for the situation to end rose when Spider-Man and Spider-Boy showed up. The crowd screamed with delight, including some of the officers.

"Stay back, Yuri. We got this," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Boy smiled again, all because Spider-Man said "we."

"You sure the kid's up to the task?" asked Yuri.

"He's about to show you," said Spider-Man.

"Don't worry, Commissioner. We got this," Spider-Boy said confidently.

"Don't get cocky, kid," Spider-Man and Yuri said at the same time.

The wall-crawler and the commissioner looked at one another, surprised that they said the same the thing to Spider-Boy simultaneously.

"You're a fan of that epic sci-fi space war trilogy, Commissioner?" asked Spider-Boy.

"Just stop Shocker," said Yuri, avoiding the question.

The cops backed away further so Spider-Man and Spider-Boy can deal with Shocker. Shocker pounds his fist together in anticipation, glad that the two finally decided to show up.

"Last chance, Herman. Give up now and we won't have to hurt you," said Spider-Man.

"Give yourself up and I won't hurt anyone," said Shocker.

"I can't do that, Herman," said Spider-Man.

"Then you're dead," said Shocker.

"Think you can call Taskmaster. I can get him to call off the bounty," said Spider-Man.

"No, we're doing right here, right now!" Shocker yelled. "I've had enough of you. No more humiliation. No more punches. No more talking!"

"Aww, but I thought you love it when I talk," Spider-Man mocked.

"Uh, should you really be making him angry?" asked Spider-Boy.

"Herman and I have been doing this for years, kid," said Spider-Man.

"Enough talking!" Shocker shouted. "Let's finish this!"

Shocker unleashes a "shock" wave, but Spider-Man and Spider-Boy dodge it with ease. Shocker opts for shock-powered punches, but Spider-Man and Spider-Boy double-team him and punch him in the face together.

Spider-Man and Spider-Boy swing away together to lure Shocker away from the people. Once again, it's a chase across the city. Spider-Man and Spider-Boy swing from block to block as fast as they can while Shocker has to leap great heights to catch up with them. Shocker fires shock blasts at the two spider-themed heroes, but their Spider Senses were keeping them safe.

"Okay, what's the plan, coach?" asked Spider-Boy. "We can't keep him chasing us all day."

"Actually, I don't have a plan," Spider-Man admitted. "I'm still thinking."

"Well, think faster," said Spider-Boy.

Spider-Boy almost got hit by Shocker's blast, but he kept his composure in the air and continued swinging.

"Okay, I got something," said Spider-Man. "His suit and mask are insulated from electricity because he doesn't want to shock himself when he uses his gauntlets. But his gauntlets are still vulnerable to what his suit is immune to. If you can get close enough and use your bio-electrokinesis, it might short out his gauntlets and give us time to punch him in the face."

"But we have to split up for it to work," said Spider-Boy.

"I know," said Spider-Man. "But I believe in you, Miles. Now, go and prove to me why I do."

Spider-Man and Spider-Boy hi-five in the air before splitting up in opposite directions. Shocker ignored Spider-Boy and chased Spider-Man since he's the one Taskmaster sent him after.

"Yo, Herman! Where did you learn to aim? The Space Nazi Trooper School of I-Suck-At-Shooting?" Spider-Man mocked.

This only provoked Shocker more and motivated him to jump higher and farther to catch up with Spider-Man. He fires shock beam after shock beam, but Spider-Man was just too quick. Spider-Man turns around for a moment and webs Shocker's face. Shocker lands hard on the road in his attempt to get the webbing off his face. Spider-Man jumped down to make sure he stayed down.

"Don't make me hurt you more, Herman," said Spider-Man. "But if you have to, how about you fight me like a man? Lose the gauntlets and give me the old one-two?"

"Stop talking!" Shocker yelled, annoyed and frustrated.

Just as Shocker ripped the webbing off his face, Spider-Boy suddenly showed up behind him, having used optical camouflage to hide. Spider-Boy charges his fingers with bio-electricity and zaps Shocker's gloves. This kept going on until Shocker's gauntlets malfunctioned. Once Shocker's gauntlets stopped working, Spider-Man and Spider-Boy quickly web him up together. Without functional gauntlets, Shocker couldn't escape.

"MJ wasn't kidding about the camouflage thing," Spider-Boy said, excited that he got to use his new power.

"Now I'm jealous of you," Spider-Man admitted.

The hero and the sidekick perform a special handshake, celebrating their victory.

* * *

Yuri and the NYPD take Shocker into custody. Before handing Shocker over, Spider-Boy takes a selfie of him and his mentor along with the defeated Shocker. Yuri couldn't resist rolling her eyes, but she knew she couldn't change them. They were both full of youthful enthusiasm and she had to deal with it.

"Hey, Spider-Man... thanks for giving me another chance," said Spider-Boy.

"No problem, kid," said Spider-Man. "Just be sure to contact me if you ever run into Shocker or Rhino on your own."

"Sure thing," Spider-Boy promised.

Both their phones alerted them to the release of J. Jonah Jameson's newest episode on his talk show. As always, they listen to it.

 _"Unsurprisingly, folks, that mini-menace Spider-Boy continues to aid Spider-Man in his reckless crusade without any care about the people who get hurt or the damage he leaves behind," Jameson started. "I'm sure you all remember about the tank truck explosion from last week, but today, he is helping that yellow-suited lunatic, Herman Schultz, cause massive damage to our beloved city. By failing to stop him earlier, Schultz spent the next hour terrorizing the streets and carving a dreaded Spider-Man symbol at the Recessed Fountain Plaza. Sure, he may have captured Schultz in the end, but that doesn't erase the damage he had a hand in causing. Oh, and as if being a careless vigilante wasn't enough for Spider-Boy, he has proven himself to be quite the vandal as well, defacing public property like my glorious billboard that reminds everyone of the existence of my talk show. What did he do to my billboard, you ask? He covered my mustache in webs. But don't worry, folks. I'm not gonna take it personally."_

That turned out to be false when Jameson started muttering to himself about his billboard without being aware that he was still live.

 _"He webbed my mustache?" Jameson muttered angrily. "SON OF A BI-"_

Jared quickly cuts to commercial.

 **Okay, that ends our Peter & Miles Dynamic Duo chapter. I hope you like it. Don't be afraid to give me your full, honest opinion on this chapter. I always appreciate feedback.**

 **NEXT: All The Girls Love Spidey, ft. Black Cat (will be posted some time after the release of Black Cat DLC, so please be patient)**


	12. All The Girls Love Spidey

**SPOILER ALERT! (If you haven't played/watched the Black Cat DLC, then don't read this)**

 **Well, the Black Cat DLC just came out, and boy was I laughing non-stop at nearly everything, mostly at every Spider-Man and Black moment. Man, was my heart heavy at that ENDING. As for incorporating it into my fic, I really don't know. Even if we could see Felicia again in future DLCs or the sequel (IF it's possible, IF the ending is as misleading as everyone theorizes), I still don't know if I can make Black Cat's DLC story canon in my story. Or I could, but I may have to ignore future DLCs... but hey, I always like doing my own thing.**

 **Anyways, enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the most recent reviews: zdb0604, lindleya1, Guest, Felipe Montenegro, Spideysquad, Panther-10, Dcarus, CG, K2-Black-Panther, Redwall, Hogan-Fox, kival737101**

 ** _To zdb604_: You give me too much credit, but thanks. Really.**

 ** _To lindleya1_: Yeah, sorry that Yuri wasn't part of the selfie. Another missed opportunity to be addressed for another time. But I'm glad you're still loving this story.**

 ** _To CG_: I lost it (or laughed out loud) every time Peter and MJ thought about Peter's "son". I had a feeling she was lying so I wasn't too surprised, but yeah, I agree that Peter would make a good father one day.**

 ** _To K2-Black-Panther_: Glad you caught up on story, and I'm even more glad you're loving it. As for which of the 4 girls in the Spider-Man PS4 game has stolen my heart, honestly it's Silver Sable. She's beautiful, bad-a, and how she went from hating Spidey to respecting him was one of my favorite parts in the game's story ("I will miss you and your bizarre witticisms, Spider-Man," she said).**

 ** _To kival737101_: Well, for MJ, it's more about what kind of mask you wear. As a journalist, she wanted to make a name for herself. But as for putting on a vigilante's mask like she dreamed of (her dilemma in that chapter was that she wished she could do what Peter and Miles could do), she only further understood why Peter does it and why she would never want the power at all.**

The NYPD and Sable International are currently engaged in a shootout with the Maggia at Madison Square Park. If you want to discuss numbers, there are 16 armed Maggia thugs, 8 police officers, and 7 Sable agents. As the shootout rages on, three Maggia thugs and two officers were killed. Fortunately, backup has arrived in the form of Silver Sable and three more Sable agents. The turret on the Sable vehicle's started firing at the Maggia, forcing them to find other covers. Three more of them were killed trying to.

"What has occurred here?" Silver asked one of the officers.

"Just your typical this-is-our-territory crap," said the officer.

"I see the area is clear of civilians," Silver noticed.

"We escorted them to a safer distance before we engaged, just like you told us," said a Sable agent.

"Good work," said Silver, feeling so proud of her agents. "But now, it's time to finish this."

Silver draws her two energy pistols and runs into the gap between the cops and the Maggie, much to the surprise of the two parties. Silver fires at every thug in her sights, not missing even a single shot. Four more Maggia thugs fall down with fatal wounds on their chests as Silver gets closer to the center of the Maggia's shooting spot.

Silver knocks out Maggia Thug #11 with a butterfly kick to the face. She agilely tumbles to the side to avoid Maggia Thug #12's bullets and then fires two energy blasts to his heart. Maggia Thug #13 tried to whack her in the head with his gun from behind, but she quickly elbowed him in the gut before she grabbed his head in between her feet and slammed his face to the pavement. Silver runs as she and Maggia Thug #14 go on a one-on-one shooting match, which ends with Silver shooting him after a spin dodge. Silver kicks Maggia Thug #15 in the face with a roundhouse kick, and then knocks out Maggia Thug #16 with two quick mid-air kicks to the chest and face.

Silver puts her guns away and casually walks back to her vehicle without saying a word besides "Clean up this mess."

"She's crazy," said one officer.

"Try telling that to her face," said a Sable agent.

Silver returns to the Symkarian Embassy to rest for the night. After a one-hour talk with the mayor, another painful meeting with Norman Osborn, and the recent Maggia shootout, it's not that Silver is exhausted, it's just that she would kill for some relaxation time. And she kinda did that, having killed a few of the Maggia thugs earlier.

Unfortunately, relaxation will have to wait. There was a small hole cut in the window of her office. No cracks. Just a perfectly cut hole. On the floor is a black cat doll next to a piece of paper. It was blank, but the other side wasn't. What Silver sees is...

A drawing of a female saber-tooth tiger dangling a spider in front of her face.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Commissioner Yuri Watanabe just sat on her desk filing paperwork as usual. Only, being commissioner meant even more paperwork than when she was captain. So far, the job has been a blessing and curse for Yuri. On the one hand, she's busted five corrupt cops and kept the force's hands clean. On the other, less time on the field and sitting on her desk. As much as she loves her job, this was boring.

Fortunately, she could go home now.

"Two cups of coffee tonight and I still feel like I'm gonna pass out," Yuri complained. "Jean, take over. I'm going home early."

"Not feeling up to the new job, Yuri?" asked Detective Jean DeWolff.

"As long as it keeps corrupt cops off the force, I'll gladly accept seven all-nighters a week," said Yuri. "This week isn't one of the weeks, though."

"You miss being captain?" asked Jean. "You miss seeing _him_ all the time?"

"Oh, God. Not you too," Yuri complained, knowing Jean was talking about Spider-Man.

"You know, the NYPD's annual ball can still be green-lit if you give us your word," Jean teased.

"Goodnight, Jean," Yuri said dismissively.

Yuri returns to her apartment to get some R&R. All these rumors about her and Spider-Man were driving her insane. She may have been able to hide her partnership from the public, but she can't hide how seemingly chummy she is around the wall-crawler. The cops within the force share these rumors and then cops with friends outside of their jobs heard about rumors and then it's all over the rumor mill. She doesn't deny that Spider-Man has his charms, but she was definitely _not_ into him.

Yuri comes home to find that someone had broken into her apartment. Nothing was stolen or smashed. Just a piece of paper lying on the coffee table next to a black cat doll.

"This has got to be some sick joke," Yuri complained hopefully as she looked at what's on the paper.

A drawing of a female cop forming the shape of a heart with her cuffs while looking down lovingly at a little spider.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Another day, another mission, another blockbuster story for the front page. Spider-Man and Spider-Boy save hostages at the subway, and MJ had to push literal buttons to assist them. Three things: lights out, electric webs, and a balloon. MJ feels bad for the 8-year-old who lost said balloon, but it was for the good of the hostages. Besides, his parents can just buy him a new one.

"Agent Spider-Plushie, another job well done," she said to the plushie.

Spider-Plushie was used to distract the man guarding the control room. Oh, the look on his face before she had to use her stun gun on him. It was just as priceless as every other thug's faces when they see her little partner.

"Well, time for dinner," said MJ. "Sorry your big brother couldn't eat with us, Agent SP. He had to go and take care of a mugging and a runaway car on the Upper East Side. Amazing how much crime goes on in this city."

MJ sets Spider-Plushie down on the counter as she prepares herself some soup.

"You know, I've been wondering. You've tested yourself against Demons, Fisk Thugs, and the corrupt wealthy's bodyguards. Maybe you're ready for the Maggia," MJ said to her plushy friend. "It's my next big story and I need a partner to help me get it published. Who better than the best partner I ever had?"

MJ picks up Spider-Plushie and raises his arm, as if he was expecting a hi-five. MJ delivers.

"I knew I could count on you," said MJ.

Just as MJ sat down on the couch to enjoy some soup, she noticed a black cat doll underneath the coffee table. Then she found a strange piece of paper hidden beneath all her notes and files on the table. It was...

A drawing of a young woman that looks like her trying to kiss a spider she was holding in her hand.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man was just about to return to MJ's apartment when he picked up an RFID signal coming from the Empire State Building. He stops at the rooftop above the Observation Deck where the signal was originating from. He found a drawing, one with a style he was awfully familiar with.

A drawing of a cat sipping smoothies with a spider.

Near the drawing is the source of the signal he's been tracking. It came from, much to his surprise, a cat, which was hidden behind a chimney. A little black cat doll, much like the ones that belong to...

"Black Cat?" Spider-Man asked, shocked. "But... but I thought that... I thought she was... how could she... wait... just..."

Before Spider-Man could babble further about the possibility that you-know-who is not you-know-what, he received a call from a certain someone. Blocked number. The voice, however, was awfully familiar.

 _"Hey there, Spider. Miss me?"_

"Felicia?" Spider-Man was now even more shocked. "I thought... I saw you... I mean..."

 _"Did you really think Hammerhead can get rid of me that easily?" Black Cat replied._

"Well... I-I-I-I mean... I-I-I h-h-had a feeling you survived, but... I, uh, I d-d-didn't want to get my hopes up," Spider-Man stuttered.

 _"I wish I can say I'm offended, but I was counting on my death being convincing," said Black Cat._

"What do you want, Felicia?" asked Spider-Man. "Because if this is another score, no matter how happy I am to know that you're okay, I'm not gonna let myself get conned again."

 _"Well, maybe I just want to see my favorite little spider again," Black Cat said seductively. "I missed you. What about you? You haven't told me you missed me."_

"Well... I didn't not miss you, so there's that," Spider-Man said awkwardly.

Spider-Man's Spider Sense tingled when he felt something coming from behind him. Before he could turn around and act, he heard Black Cat's voice right behind him.

"Oh, Spider," she said.

Spider-Man turns around and there she is, hanging on the side of the tall antenna. Black Cat. Alive and well. And wearing her mask and skin-tight suit. She jumps down from the antenna in a very flexible way, always trying to act sexy in front of her favorite masked vigilante. What does Spider-Man think? Well, he would say it's hard not to stare.

"Where have you been?" asked Spider-Man. "I thought you were dead. Yes, there, I finally said it. I thought you were gone."

"The circumstances behind my survival are a need-to-know," Black Cat said.

Leave it to Black Cat to start touching Spider-Man in a very seductive manner. She traces her finger across his chest with that sly smirk on her face. Spider-Man didn't move a muscle, although the mask certainly hides what his face looks like now. Spider-Man grabs Black Cat's wrist and gently moves her hand away from him.

"Out of all the times you decide to announce your not-death, you chose now?" Spider-Man criticized, sounding very hurt.

"Don't you remember, Spider? It's the anniversary of when we first met," said Black Cat.

Spider-Man didn't say a word. Judging by the eyes on his mask, he just glared at her with betrayal and distrust.

"Aw, you didn't remember?" Black Cat said sarcastically and sadly.

"Felicia, what do you want?" Spider-Man asked, demanding an answer.

Before she answered, she stepped near the edge of the roof to look down at the wonderful city of New York. The city's always lovely at nighttime. The pretty lights. The cool weather to beat the afternoon heat. It's all the more beautiful when you're on top of one of the city's tallest buildings.

"I must say, you've been quite busy since I was gone," said Black Cat.

"Well, crime never stops in this city," said Spider-Man.

"I'm not talking about your heroics, hero," said Black Cat. "I'm talking about your love life."

"W-W-What about my love life?" asked Spider-Man.

"I've been watching. I've been listening," said Black Cat. "Silver Sable. Captain... sorry... _Commissioner_ Yuriko Watanabe. And Mary Jane Watson, your ex who is no longer your ex. You've been a busy boy."

"Hey, whoa, I'm not what you're implying," Spider-Man said defensively.

"I'm just curious," said Black Cat.

"I thought you would've learned your lesson about that," Spider-Man joked.

Black Cat touches Spider-Man's chest again with her finger, specifically the spot where his heart is, all the while looking at him with that seductive look on her face. _That might as well be her default face_ , Spider-Man thought humorously.

"Where does your heart truly lie?" Black Cat asked curiously.

"My not-ex," Spider-Man answered.

"Well, let's test that. Shall we?" Black Cat said.

Before Spider-Man can say a word, Black Cat detonates a smoke bomb. Spider-Man coughs from the smoke as he tries to clear his vision. When the smoke cleared, Black Cat was gone. She did, however, leave an address on his phone.

"What game are you playing now, Felicia?" Spider-Man wondered. "I better call MJ."

Spider-Man contacts MJ. Unfortunately, all he gets is...

 _"This is Mary Jane Watson. Please leave a detailed message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."_

"Great," Spider-Man complained. He decided to leave a message anyway. "Uh, MJ, this is gonna be hard to understand, but... Felicia's alive. I know. Shocking, right? I just wanted you to know that. She and I just talked and... if there's a chance she's involving you in whatever game she's playing now, just be safe. Please."

* * *

MJ was at a warehouse somewhere on the Upper West Side. She's here because the drawing she found had tiny numbers and letters written on it as well. The numbers and letters spelled an address, and the this warehouse is where it led her. Armed with her stun gun and Agent Spider-Plushie tucked safely in her parka, MJ sneaks in ready for danger. But there's nothing here. Nothing. Nobody even.

"Why send me to an abandoned warehouse?" MJ wondered. "Unless there's something here for me to find."

MJ walks around the place with her stun gun in one hand, looking for anything unusual and keeping her guard up.

"Hello? Mary Jane Watson, Associate Editor for the Daily Bugle," said MJ, trying to attract some attention. "Did you ask me to come here for a story? Just so you know, I'm armed."

MJ keeps walking and walking until she found a table with a lit lamp. There was an audio recorder next to another drawing.

A drawing of MJ going for a walk with the little spider sitting on her shoulder.

"The girl and the spider look like they're in love, alright," MJ commented. "Does... does someone know that I'm Spider-Man's girlfriend?"

The only answer MJ is gonna find now is on the tape recorder.

 _"Ms. Watson, nice of you to show up. You probably don't recognize my voice, but you have heard of me by name via our mutual friend, the Spider. Although, I wouldn't he was only a friend to both of us."_

"Black Cat," MJ realized, shocked. "So she survived, but..."

 _"Bet you were glad when you thought I was gone, huh? No one to get in the way of you and the Spider," Felicia continued. "Well, from the look of things, it looks like there are two more ladies getting in your way."_

"Two?" MJ questioned. "Well, there's Sable. But who's the other one? Is it Yuri?"

 _"I think it's time we finally meet. I've only ever heard of you from the papers. It's time to see if you live up to your reputation and for me to find out what's so special about you that our precious little Spider would be so eager to run back to you," said Black Cat. "You'll find another address on the drawing. I hope you like it."_

"Well, you got talent, I'll give you that," MJ commented.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Yuri arrived at a warehouse somewhere in Chinatown, not too far from the precinct. There was an address on the drawing in the form of tiny letters and numbers, and that led her here. She came alone because she had a feeling this was probably a come-alone-or-else kind of situation. At least she was armed. Unfortunately, her gun is all she has. When she tried to contact Spider-Man, all she got is...

 _"Hello. This is your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Leave a message after the thwip. No, wait! That sounds weird over the phone. I meant, beep. After the beep."_

Yuri just rolled her eyes and focused on what she needed to find at the warehouse. So far, nothing. Nothing except one open light right above a small table. On said table is an audio recorder and another drawing.

A drawing of the same female cop locking up the spider in a tiny cage.

"I swear, Spider-Man, if you're involved in this..." Yuri muttered.

Yuri plays the recorder.

 _"Captain. Or should I say, Commissioner?" It was Black Cat. "I've noticed that you and the Spider have been growing close these past few years. I've been reading some wild rumors. I'm sure they're aren't true, but the attraction between you two has me suspicious."_

"Great. Another theorist," Yuri complained.

 _"There's an address on the drawing. You'll find me there," said Black Cat._

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

MJ ended up in abandoned warehouse. Yuri ended up in an abandoned warehouse. Silver Sable, on the other hand, ended up at an apartment building somewhere in Midtown where the outside is full of Hammerhead thugs. Clearly, the Maggie own the building. The cat that Silver found in the Symkarian Embassy had a tracking device installed in it. The eyes blink red faster if it's closer to its target. She doesn't know why it would laed her here, but one thing she is sure of is that the Hammerhead is not just gonna let her take what she's looking for without a fight.

Silver hides behind a building close to the warehouse, preparing herself for a fight. She grabs her two pistols and prepares to engage.

Just as she turned a corner and held her pistols high, she froze. All of the Maggie thugs that were standing outside of the warehouse just twenty seconds ago were now webbed up and knocked down.

"Spider-Man," Silver guessed.

Silver follows Spider-Man inside. A dozen Maggie thugs were unconscious in the lobby, sprawled on the floor or the stairs. Silver keeps her guns up just in case more come. When in enemy territory, never assume you are safe.

She froze when she felt something (or someone) behind her. Staying still as if she suspected nothing, she waited until this someone was close enough. Silver then quickly turns around and strikes with a jumping spinning crescent kick. Unfortunately, she ends up kicking a face of a friend.

Spider-Man.

He was just hanging up-side down behind and then... OUCH! A silver boot to the face knocks him down to the floor.

"Lady, why you so violent?" Spider-Man complained jokingly in spite the bruised jaw.

"My apologies," Silver apologized.

Silver quickly holsters her pistols and tends to Spider-Man. To think, there was a time she had no problem kicking him if he interfered with her operations. But now, she feels guilty for hurting him.

"If I had a nickel for every time you kick my butt, I'd be half as rich as Tony Stark," Spider-Man joked.

"Actually, by my count, you would only have..." Silver stopped when she realized she misunderstood his words. "Oh, that was a hyperbole."

"Now you're getting it," Spider-Man said, feeling proud despite his aching mouth. "Tomorrow, I'll teach you beginner-level metaphors."

"Oh, that's sweet."

That was Black Cat. Spider-Man and Silver look up to see the silver-haired thief sitting on the railing of the staircase, just smiling that nasty smirk on her face while swinging her legs back and forth.

"You never offered to teach me metaphors," Black Cat said, pretending to sound hurt.

"That's because you already have plenty of cat-themed ones," said Spider-Man.

Black Cat flexibly and stylishly jumps down from the railing so she can get closer to the masked vigilante and the Symkarian princess. Spider-Man continued to hold his jaw while Silver eyed her suspiciously.

"You look spry for a deceased woman," Silver commented.

"Oh, so you've heard of me. I'm flattered, your highness," said Black Cat.

"I did my research. When I saw the cat, I figured the rumors of your survival were not rumors at all," said Silver.

"Wait, a cat?" Spider-Man questioned.

"She wanted me to be here," Silver explained. "And I'm guessing she expected you to be here as well."

"But why, Felicia?" asked Spider-Man.

"Let's just say I needed something from the Ciceros' sock drawers," Black Cat said half-jokingly. She held in her hand a flash drive.

"And you didn't want anyone in this building finding out you're alive or Hammerhead will be out to get you again. So you wanted someone to take out their thugs for you so you can steal from them without revealing yourself," Spider-Man realized. "You used me... again."

"But why drag me into this?" asked Silver.

"I just wanted to see it for myself," said Black Cat. "The PDA you pulled a few weeks ago, it really caught my attention. Had me wondering... do you really love him, or was it just for show?"

Enraged by the accusation, Silver draws both her pistols and aims them at Black Cat.

"Whoa, whoa! Simmer down there, Lara Croft," Spider-Man pleaded, getting in Silver's way to stop her from shooting. "Just put the dual pistols down and let your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man handle this diplomatically."

"I didn't need your protection, Spider, but I'm touched," said Black Cat.

"I'm trying to protect both of you," said Spider-Man.

"She's a thief and a manipulator. The only protection she deserves is protective custody," said Silver.

"Well, while you two talk this out, I'm gonna take my leave," said Black Cat. "Oh, and you may want to hurry to the Upper East Side, Spider. Your girlfriend might be in danger."

Black Cat detonates a smoke bomb and disappears. Spider-Man fires a web shot into the smokes, but caught nothing except wall.

"You should've let me take care of this," said Silver.

"I could've handled it," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man walks away from Silver to pursue Black Cat. Silver, however, stopped him when she spoke to him of a sensitive topic.

"In my research, I suspected that you and her have more than just a long history of antagonism," said Silver. "She seemed threatened when she asked me if my affection towards you was true? I suppose an assumption regarding your intimate connection with her would be unnecessary when that assumption is all but confirmed."

"Felicia and I have a... complicated history," Spider-Man said vaguely and awkwardly. "Look, just get your people to arrest all of Hammerhead's thugs in this building. I have to stop Felicia before she hurts MJ or herself."

* * *

MJ was, indeed, in danger. She checked the location where Black Cat told her to go to, only to be met by Hammerhead Thugs. They didn't get a good look at her face, but they just immediately started shooting at her as soon as they found her intruding on one of their hideouts in a really large alleyway. MJ may have accidentally set off one of her Spider-Lures while sneaking around the hideout.

"Whoever you are, come out right now!" Hammerhead Thug #1 shouted.

"Find her!" Hammerhead Thug #2 said.

MJ hides behind a power generator as she thinks of a way to get herself out of this situation. She can't just wait for Spider-Man. But she had to call him. The noise of the city can hide her voice. She takes out her phone only to see that he left her a voice message, informing her of Black Cat's return. But MJ already knew. So, she just left him a voice message and went straight to the point.

"Pete, I'm on the Upper East Side. Look for an alleyway full of trailers in Park Avenue," MJ whisper-shouted.

MJ quickly puts her phone away so she can get back to thinking. She found some smoke grenades nearby. Convenient. But first, she needs a lure. Reaching into her parka, she pulls out Spider-Plushie.

"Okay, Agent SP. This ain't the Maggia, but it's the closest thing," said MJ.

Hammerhead Thugs #4, #5, and #6 were getting closer to the power generator. Before they could check if MJ is behind it, they heard a weird sound. They moved away from the generator to investigate the sound. They found... a Spider-Plushie making a weird beeping sound.

The three thugs exchanged discombobulated looks, not knowing how to react to what they're seeing.

"What the fu..."

Before the thug can finish that curse word, a smoke grenade detonated. Hammerhead Thugs #1, #2, and #3 saw it and headed that way. When the smoke cleared, Hammerhead Thugs #4, #5, and #6 were unconscious. And the Spider-Plushie is gone.

"What the hell happened here?" Hammerhead Thug #1 wondered.

"I happened."

That was MJ, answering the question quietly. While the three thugs were occupied with their unconscious comrades, MJ begins further into the hideout.

"Okay, Ms. Hardy. Let's see what you've got for me," said MJ.

MJ uses Black Cat's cat to track whatever she's looking for. It's inside the fifth trailer. She enters the trailer and finds a case. Good thing one of the Hammerhead Thugs she tased with her stun gun had the key. She unlocks the case and opens it. Inside was a flash drive.

"I thought Black Cat already had all the flash drives containing the entire Maggia's wealth," MJ thought out loud. "If so, then what's on this flash drive?"

MJ heads out to see that the other three Hammerhead thugs were unconscious webbed up in a nice little web trap. She smiled, knowing her hero has come. Question is, where is he? She felt someone poke her on the shoulder from behind. She was startled at first, but the voice that spoke to her after the poke calmed her down.

"Excuse me, Ms. Watson."

MJ turns around and sees Spider-Man. Despite her confidence in succeeding in this mission on her own, she was happy to see him.

"I was worried Felicia got to you first," said Spider-Man.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that," said MJ. "Also, I found this."

MJ shows him the flash drive.

"So, that's what Felicia was after?" Spider-Man questioned. "But she must still have all of the Maggia's digital money. Why go after more flash drvies?"

"I guess we'll find out," said MJ.

"Actually, you won't."

The was Black Cat. She jumped down from above and landed right in front of MJ. Spider-Man was about to make a move, until MJ threw an EMP grenade at him, shorting out his web shooters. Black Cat kicks him down before he could attempt to do something else.

"No!" MJ cried.

With MJ distracted by a hurt Spider-Man, Black Cat swipes the flash drive from the redhead's hand. MJ grabs her stun gun, but Black Cat threatened her by pointing her claws at her face, very closely. MJ didn't move a muscle.

"I like you. You got guts," said Black Cat. "I've been watching. You're resourceful and plucky. I can see _part_ of the reason why Spider likes you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" MJ asked, feeling slightly offended.

"Associate editor for a boring newspaper company? Not exactly what I would call a thrilling career," Black Cat criticized. "Take my advice. You really want to make him melt, wear tights."

Black Cat immediately detonates one of her smoke bombs. When the smoke cleared, she was gone.

"Mary Jane Watson, meet Felicia Hardy," Spider-Man said humorously.

"She used me," MJ realized.

"Oh, you think?" Spider-Man said sarcastically.

"She used you too, didn't she?" MJ guessed.

"I'll tell you about it later," said Spider-Man. "Wait..."

Black Cat left a note on the ground when she disappeared. There was an address on the note. A familiar one, in fact. She also told him to wear the suit she gifted to him.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Thanks to the cat that she found, Yuri showed up at Black Cat's former secret hideout where the $50,000,000 worth of loot was found by Spider-Man after he collected all of her cats. Yuri remembered smiling and laughing at how well the Black Cat played Spider-Man. She entered through the secret door, which had a dog graffiti on it, by the way, and walks into the room to find...

Plastic mannequins dressed like cops. There was a small disco ball on the ceiling, lighting up the place with many different colors. Slow music played. Racks with stolen suits and dresses were found as well. Police + Suits and dresses + Slow Music + Pretty Lights = ?

"Oh, hell no," Yuri cursed.

Just as Yuri was about to leave, she found a steel trunk containing... a gatling gun. This looks similar to ones used by Hammerhead's thugs. Before Yuri can make a call, she heard people coming. The mention of the words "guns," "money," and "Hammerhead" confirmed what Yuri suspected. Hammerhead's goons were coming. Since she's on her own, she has to handle this herself.

Good thing Hammerhead has flashbang grenades. She grabs one, pulls the pin, opens the door slightly, and throws it at Hammerhead's goons. Four of them.

The grenade detonates and blinds/knocks down the thugs. Yuri incapacitates the thugs, shooting them in either the shoulders or the legs. She had to shoot one dead because he was about to pull his gun on her.

"All I wanted was some sleep. I can't even get that in this damn city," Yuri complained.

Yuri was about to leave until someone jumped in, causing her to let out a small scream and step back. Fortunately, it's just Spider-Man, except he was wearing something different. The Dark Suit.

"Oh, hey, Yuri," Spider-Man greeted casually. He notices the thugs lying down on the floor, including the dead one, and says, "I see you've got things handled here."

"What are you wearing?" asked Yuri.

"It's, uh, a suit that Black Cat made for me," said Spider-Man. "I was supposed to wear this before coming here."

"So, Black Cat's alive and back, huh?" asked Yuri.

"She set you up too," Spider-Man guessed. "Hey, why are there lights coming from her old hideout?"

"No, no, no," Yuri said, trying to stop him from going. "You don't wanna..."

Too late. Spider-Man went in. He saw everything. The lights, the suits, the dresses, the music, the plastic policemen and policewomen, everything. He picked up the meaning as fast as Yuri did.

"So, you, uh... you wanna dance?" Spider-Man joked as he held his hand out.

"What is Black Cat up to?" Yuri asked, ignoring his offer.

"You could just say no," said Spider-Man.

Yuri groaned. She was getting more and more annoyed with all this.

"Okay, okay," Spider-Man said, trying to calm her down. Sarcastically, he says, "Apparently, she's rounding all of my _love interests_ and using them to do her dirty work because she can't risk being outed as alive and well."

"Love interests?" Yuri questioned.

"You. Mary Jane. Silver Sable. Yeah, my love interests," Spider-Man said, still sounding sarcastic. He sounded fed up.

"And what is this dirty work she wants done for her?" asked Yuri.

"This."

Spider-Man and Yuri see Black Cat standing outside the door with a flash drive in her hand. She must've gotten it from one of the Hammerhead Thugs outside. Yuri was about to draw her gun, until Spider-Man stopped her.

"You look good," Black Cat said to her ex-partner.

"Yeah, well, you made it," Spider-Man said, almost sounding flirtatious.

Black Cat stepped in and walked up to Spider-Man as she hummed along to the slow music. She holds Spider-Man's hands as she gets into slow-dancing position. She even twirled herself and then leaned on him, along with playfully poking his nose. Yuri wishes she can shoot the disco ball to end all this.

"Felicia, please. Just tell us what you're doing and let us help you," Spider-Man pleaded.

"I just made you believe I was dead, and you're still being nice," said Black Cat.

"Oh, trust me. We're gonna have a long discussion about that con of yours. But right now, I just want you to stop," said Spider-Man. "You wanna drag me into this, fine. But, please, leave everyone else out of it."

"Well, where's the fun in that?" Black Cat questioned. "I just want to see who you love the most, Spider. You got too many women in your life. Can't say I blame them, though."

"Hey, don't bring me into this," said Yuri.

"I got one more stop before the night is over, Spider," said Black Cat. "Catch me if you can, if you can find me."

Once again, Black Cat vanishes after using a smoke bomb. This just leaves Spider-Man and Yuri in the still brightly-lit hideout. The slow music continues to play.

"You sure you don't want that dance?" Spider-Man joked again.

"You want me to wear the blue dress or the black dress?" Yuri asked, playing along.

"Well, black seems to be more your color," said Spider-Man.

Instead of entertaining the idea of a dance, Yuri just walked out of the hideout. She whacks one escaping Hammerhead Thug in the face with her gun before heading back to her car. She was about to make a phone call, until Spider-Man webbed her phone out of her hand.

"You can't tell them that Black Cat is alive," said Spider-Man.

"Why not?" asked Yuri.

"Hammerhead wanted her dead, remember? If he finds out she's alive, he'll tear this city apart looking for her," said Spider-Man.

"She's a thief and a criminal, Spider-Man. I don't care if she's your ex-girlfriend. It's my job to catch those who commit crimes for bad reasons," said Yuri.

"Yuri, please," Spider-Man begged. "She's my responsibility. Let me take care of her. I've done it before and I may have failed plenty of times, but I'm the only who can get through to her... in a way. Please, Yuri. I... I... I'll owe you one."

"You really care about her, don't you?" asked Yuri.

"I... well... I... yes," Spider-Man answered.

Yuri groaned again.

"Fine," Yuri gave in. "But if someone gets hurt or killed because of her, I won't hesitate to bring her in. You got me?"

"Aye-aye, Commissioner," said Spider-Man.

"Ugh. I can't believe this," Yuri complained.

Yuri gets in her car and starts it up. As much as she wanted to go home and forget this day ever happened, she had to go back to the precinct in case Spider-Man gets a lead on Black Cat. Before she could take off, Spider-Man decided to ask her one very important question.

"Hey, Yuri," he said. "I just want to know. I know I have a girlfriend, but... if I ever did ask you out to that ball, would you have said yes?"

Yuri looks at Spider-Man with a deadpan expression on her face. Just when Spider-Man thought she was giving him the I-don't-care look, a little smile shows up on her lips before she drives away.

"I'll take that as a yes," said Spider-Man.

* * *

Peter went to MJ's apartment to see how she was doing before he could continue chasing Black Cat. He comes in through her window, as he does so often, and finds her sitting down on her couch doing more research for future stories, ones that have nothing to do with Black Cat. At least she understands the importance of keeping Black Cat's survival a secret.

"Hey, are you okay?" Peter asked as he took off his mask.

"Do you have to wear that suit when you ask me that?" MJ replied in a criticizing way.

Peter raises an eyebrow, appalled by her tone.

"Sorry," MJ apologized. "I'm fine, Pete. Yes, I'm ticked that I was used, but at least I got some pictures from those goons' base for the paper."

"Should I get rid of this suit first before we really talk?" asked Peter.

"No, keep it," said MJ.

"Look, MJ, I know you're not really happy about the thought of Felicia coming between us," said Peter.

"Peter, that's really up to you," said MJ. "You've told me over and over again that you don't want this thing between us to end again. I believe you. Silver Sable can kiss you all she wants, you and Yuri can keep up with this policeman's ball stuff, and Black Cat can flirt with you 'til the sun dies, but I know you'll always come back to me."

MJ holds Peter's hand and kisses him on the cheek just to show him that she's being truthful.

"Besides, she can have Spider-Man for all I care about. I just want Peter Parker," MJ teased.

"You know, it's funny how you tease me when it comes to Felicia, but when it comes to Sable, you get all jealous girlfriend and stuff," said Peter.

"She's just such a strange woman, you know," said MJ. "At least I know Felicia's game. Silver, on the other hand, I don't know her game."

"Believe me. I don't know either," said Peter.

Peter chuckles a little bit before his face turned into a mopey one. MJ scoots closer and puts a hand on both his shoulders, trying her best to comfort him even though she doesn't know what he's moping about.

"Something wrong?" asked MJ.

"This whole thing... Yuri, Sable, Felicia... I just thought that it would just be a hilarious running gag for the rest of my superhero life," said Peter. "But now that I'm back with you, and with all this stuff with Felicia happening, I just... I just feel like it's another sign that nothing is gonna work out for me in the end."

"Peter, you're Spider-Man. Of course you're gonna be a girl magnet," said MJ.

"But I never wanted it to go beyond just some simple fangirl crushes," said Peter. "Sable L's me, whatever _L_ we're talking about. Felicia, I think... I mean... I think she really likes me, if not loves me... I don't know. All I want is you, MJ. Only you. But I always feel like something's gonna ruin it. I know I shouldn't think that way, but... I just don't know anymore."

Peter wraps her arms around Peter and pulls him closer. Peter rests his head on MJ's as she rocks him gently like a grown-up baby.

"Okay, I think we'll have to continue this some other time," MJ said after a couple minutes of rocking. "Get out there, find Felicia, and stop her."

* * *

Spider-Man, still wearing the Dark Suit, heads out to look for Black Cat. Following a trail of "cat prints" on the sides of buildings, he tracks Black Cat to a manufacturing plant somewhere in the North. Rumors are that Hammerhead's crew control the plant to forge weapons. Key word being "rumors" since it's never been confirmed and the plant is still in business.

A new episode of J. Jonah Jameson's talk show just popped up, so Spider-Man decided to listen to it before he could continue to look for Black Cat.

 _"Now, we know Spider-Man has more than just one costume in his closet," Jameson started. "There's that metallic suit with 4 pointy legs that pop out of its back. There's that suit that gives him super speed and lets him run over people like a speeding truck. There's that anti-electricity suit that he uses to fight the likes of Electro. But tonight, he has been seen wearing a black suit with a red spider on it. Now, why am I making this sound like it's a concerning topic. Because, according to my sources, the deceased Black Cat made him this very suit. I mean, look at the claws on that suit. They look awfully like cat claws. And I think I know why Spider-Man is wearing this very suit on this very day. It's the anniversary of when he and the Black Cat first met. Yes, folks, I list down the exact dates of Spider-Man's first encounters with fellow costumes lunatics. Spider-Man, since you're listening, here's a piece of advice. Ditch the suit. I know it's hard losing someone you love, but the Black Cat is a thief, a crook, a criminal. You claim to be a hero, but you give her the slip all because you can't stop thinking with your web shooters. I get it. She's got the looks and the body to make men drop to their knees, but let me tell you a couple of things. One, those claws of yours can cut innocent people until they bleed to death. Two, here's how you cope with Black Cat's death... GET OVER IT!"_

"He's such a bore, isn't he?"

Spider-Man turns around to see Black Cat, who has been listening to Jameson's talk show with him without him knowing she was right there. Spider-Man puts his phone away and readies himself for a fight, just in case. More often than not, she attacks him when all he wants to do is talk.

"Well, whatever keeps his social media empire running," Spider-Man said jokingly despite the grim tone in his voice.

"Remember when we discovered online that our fans shipped us together?" Black Cat asked, caressing Spider-Man's cheek flirtatiously as she did. "SpiderCat, I believe our ship name was? Boy, were many of them so sad when they heard I died."

"Yeah, but you're not," Spider-Man said rather contemptuously. "What's on those drives, Felicia? More money? Top secret plans? Blackmail-worthy information?"

"Well, you're not entirely wrong," said Black Cat.

"I just can never get you to stop, huh?" Spider-Man asked, sounding really fed up. "After all this time, everything we've done together, everything I've tried to teach you, all the times you and I shared a connection, you still put on this suit and steal for yourself."

"Old habits die hard, Spider," said Black Cat. "I mean, look at you. Can you ever really give up this life of a hero just to settle down?"

"Trust me. I've got plenty of time to think about that," said Spider-Man, considering his real age.

"I admit, I did use you and the special ladies in your life to help me get what I need without alarming Hammerhead," said Black Cat. "But at least now I have a valid reason."

"Maybe, but you put MJ, Yuri, and Sable in danger. I can't just be cool with that," said Spider-Man.

"If I did this one at a time, Hammerhead would be suspicious. It was best to just attack all three places at once," said Black Cat.

"Did you even think about how I would feel if I lost MJ?" Spider-Man asked. "She means a lot to me, Felicia. She's not just some other girl."

"Hey, I was watching. I would've intervened if things went wrong," Black Cat claimed. "But this is the real life, Spider. You always find a second, third, or fourth option if the first never works out."

"After everything you did, you'd think I'd choose you?" Spider-Man questioned as he glared at her.

"We were together once after all," Black Cat said as she affectionately stroked his cheek. "Exes get back together eventually. You and Mary Jane made it work."

"Just tell me what you need," Spider-Man said, getting straight to the point.

Black Cat decided to get serious. "Hammerhead has one more drive containing the same info within the other three. It's in the main office and the security inside is tight. I can get into the control room undetected and shut down the cameras, especially the lights. But with all those thugs all over the place, the risk is still too high for me to do it by myself."

"Okay, you get to the control room and shut down the cameras. I'll handle Hammerhead's men," said Spider-Man.

"Why are you helping me, Spider?" Black Cat asked curiously. "Wouldn't it be more heroic to deny helping a villain get what she wants?"

"I just think these drives look nicer in evidence lockup," said Spider-Man.

"And what's to stop me from getting away with them?" asked Black Cat.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Hammerhead tried to kill you. We both want to bury him, just in different ways," said Spider-Man.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man uses an air vent to sneak into the manufacturing plant. He has to do this missions stealthily or else the place will be on high alert and Black Cat will be exposed. He had to wait for Black Cat to disable security systems first. And with the Dark Suit, blending in with the dark would be so much easier.

"Felicia, please tell me you're in the control room?" Spider-Man asked.

 _"Patience, Spider," said Black Cat. "Worried I'll leave you alone to die?"_

"Maybe, considering six years ago, you framed me for the theft of a priceless jewel," said Spider-Man. "What did you spend that thing on anyway? Wait, don't tell me. Just focus on disabling the..."

 _"Done," said Black Cat._

The security cameras are down. The alarms are disabled. Most of the lights are turned off.

 _"Be there in a few, Spider," said Black Cat. "And save some for me."_

Spider-Man exits the ventilation system and uses the shadows to his advantage. He sneaks up behind Hammerhead thug #1, webs him in the back of the head, sneaks him closer, knocks him out with a heel kick to the face, and then webs him down to the floor. He then takes out Hammerhead Thug #2 by turning him around with a web shot, webbing him in the face twice, slamming his face to the floor by pulling him down, and then webs him for the floor. To amuse himself, he imitates Hammerhead Thug #3's walking, even pretending to be holding a gun. He then webs the real gun and knocks out the thug with it.

 _"Dropping in, Spider," said Black Cat._

Black Cat shows up out of nowhere and unleashes a spinning high kick on Hammerhead Thug #4's face, knocking him out. Black Cat sneaks around the machines and takes out Hammerhead Thug #5 by slamming his face to the wall and then the floor. She agilely takes out Hammerhead Thug #6 by wrapping her legs around his head and then throwing him towards a machine.

"One more by the door," Spider-Man said quietly.

"Let's take him out together," said Black Cat.

Spider-Man webs Hammerhead Thug #7's gun away from him, webs his face, and then crouches, allowing Black Cat to jump off his back and kick the thug in the face, knocking him out.

"You can't tell me you don't miss this thing between us," Black Cat said flirtatiously.

"Well, it's nice to have a partner," Spider-Man admitted.

"Okay, the door to the main office is through the next door," said Black Cat. "Remember when I would make the casual entrance while you surprise them from the vents? Well, what's say we reverse the roles this time?"

And they did. Spider-Man walks into the next room through the door while Black Cat uses the ventilation system for a surprise attack.

Mimicking the voice of a banal thug, Spider-Man says, "Hey, you idiots! You're all so stupid! Spider-Man is right above you!"

All of a sudden, the lights came back on. All the thugs turned their heads to Spider-Man's direction and aimed their guns at him. Spider-Man slowly puts his arms up high as he waits for a certain someone to drop in. And she did.

Black Cat exits the air vent and grapples on thug towards her and knocks him out with a windmill kick.

"The backup generators kicked in, but how?" Black Cat wondered.

Unexpectedly, Silver Sable and her agents came crashing in through the glass. Silver draws her pistols and aims them at Black Cat. Spider-Man stood in between them for obvious reasons.

"Um, don't you point that at the thugs instead of us?" asked Spider-Man.

"No, because they're my men," said Silver.

The agents remove their thug gear, revealing Sable armor underneath, much to Spider-Man's shock and Black Cat's chagrin.

"As soon as I confirmed to the mayor of the rumors that this factory is under Hammerhead's control, we were given permission to seize control of it," said Silver.

"And you replaced all of Hammerhead's thugs with your own men, knowing Black Cat would come here," Spider-Man realized.

"Pretty smart," said Black Cat. "For a princess."

"Black Cat, you're under arrest for grand theft and pseudocide," said Silver. "Do not resist or we will be forced to neutralize you."

"Whoa, hold up. Don't I get a say in this?" Spider-Man intervened.

"Step aside, Spider-Man. This is more than just about you," said Silver.

"This is between me and her, Silver. Stay out of this," said Spider-Man.

"Please, listen to him."

That voice sounded familiar. Coming out of the main office is MJ. Once again, Spider-Man is shocked. First, Sable. Now, his girlfriend, who looked very worried about him.

"How did you get in here?" asked Spider-Man.

"She incapacitated five of my men just to gain access to the main office," said Silver.

"Hey, I didn't know they were your men," said MJ. "Oh, and she let me stay as long as I stayed in the office."

"Enough," Silver ordered. "Last warning, Black Cat. Surrender now or we will open fire."

"No one's locking up this kitty in the pound," Black Cat said angrily.

Black Cat charges at Silver. Silver fires her pistols, but Black Cat manages to dodge the energy blasts with well-timed jumping and leaning. Black Cat activates her suit's claws, preparing to face Silver head-on. Silver holsters her pistols and accepts the challenge.

"Can't we just talk this out?" Spider-Man pleaded.

The web head is ignored. Black Cat started slashing and kicking with tremendous speed, but Silver was skilled enough to block and dodge the cat-themed criminal's attacks. Black Cat dodges Silver's high kick and then kicks the princess in the stomach. Black Cat goes for a flying spin kick, but Silver dodges it by tumbling across the floor. Black Cat manages to land a small cut on Silver's arm, but she persisted. The next ten seconds were full kicking, dodging, and blocking. The fight seemed doomed to be evenly matched for a long time, until Silver decided to stop going easy.

Silver blocks Black Cat's next kick and then successfully strikes with a spinning heel kick. Silver kicks Black Cat on the side, spin-kicks her on the shin, and then strikes with a flip kick. Silver propels herself back up with a handstand in time to block Black Cat's next kick. Black Cat punches Silver in the face and then back-kicks her on the thigh, but Silver counters quickly with a swift chop to the face and then kicks Black in the face with a swift cartwheel kick.

"Think you can teach me some of your moves?" Spider-Man asked, wowed.

Silver aims her pistol at Black Cat, trying to threaten her to stay down and not make another move.

"You have skill, I can respect that. But it's over," said Silver.

"It's not over until the kitty says boom," said Black Cat.

Black Cat takes out a detonator and pushes the big red button.

"Boom," she said.

Five explosives detonated from within the ventilation system, causing the ceiling to collapse, threatening to fall on everyone in the room. Spider-Man quickly grabs MJ and jumps to safety, as did Silver and her agents. The crashing of the large pieces of concrete covered the room in dust and smoke, blinding everyone from what Black Cat could be doing.

When the dust cleared, Black Cat was gone. Spider-Man managed to see her escaping through the hole in the roof. He quickly followed her.

"Felicia!" Spider-Man shouted.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Chasing Black Cat on a rooftop was nothing new for Spider-Man. But he wasn't gonna let this chase last for several rooftops. Black Cat was about to jump off the roof, until Spider-Man webbed her leg and pulled. Black Cat ends up slamming on the side of the wall, but was pulled back up to the roof by her love interest.

"Give me the drive," Spider-Man demanded.

Black Cat replies by kicking Spider-Man in the face. She rips the webbing off her leg and stands next to the edge, preparing to disappear again. She was about to use a smoke bomb, until Spider-Man webbed it away from her.

"Last chance, Felicia. Turn over all the drives and I can help you," said Spider-Man.

"Trust me, Spider. You don't want to do that," said Black Cat.

"Unless you give me no choice," said Spider-Man. "I've been leaning the hard way that I have to do what's right instead of what I want."

"Oh, but where's the fun in that, Spider?" Black Cat said. "We used to have quite the spark. I felt it. You felt it. Is it so hard for you to take me back?"

"Is it hard? Actually, yes," Spider-Man said bitterly. "You tricked me into finding your cats so you can get your gear back. You lied to me about having a son. You faked your death and made me mourn. I've given you many chances, Felicia, and maybe I still have faith in you, but you've shown me time and time again that you won't change."

"Well, I guess it's time for us to get back in the game," said Black Cat.

Black approaches Spider-Man and traces her clawed finger down his cheek in a seemingly gentle way.

"Are good girls really your only type?" Black Cat questioned. "We had some wild times, and you're here telling me that they're not worth it?"

"MJ knows me, understands me, with or without the mask," said Spider-Man. "What about you? You only want to know me as Spider-Man. You toy with me 'cause it's fun. Sometimes, I can't believe I ever got involved with you. And even if I wasn't with MJ, at least Yuri knows how to combine being fun and maintaining her integrity. Sable may be... strange... but at least she knows where her heart is. I don't even know if you know where your heart is. You say you love me, but clearly not enough for you to give up this destructive life you insist on living."

"I do love you, Spider. It's just the complicated kind," said Black Cat.

"I'm tired of playing that game, Felicia," said Spider-Man. "I can't promise we can reignite the spark, but I can promise you a better life."

"That's the problem, Spider. This is a better life. For me," said Black Cat.

Black Cat slowly lifts Spider-Man's mask until it halfway off. She kisses him on the lips, stunning him. After the kiss, she immediately grabs her smoke bomb from his hand and kicks him down. She detonates the smoke bomb and disappears into the night.

"Dammit," Spider-Man cursed. "She played me... again. What is wrong with you, Peter?"

* * *

Silver Sable contacted the NYPD to pick up Hammerhead's thugs, whom were locked up in the basement. Yuri was there to oversee the arrest and talk to Silver about the stunt she pulled. MJ was taking pictures of the wreckage for the Bugle. Spider-Man was just leaning back on the wall, sulking. You don't need to see his face to know what he's feeling.

"Hey," Yuri called as she approached him. "You all right?"

"Black Cat got away, all because my body froze when she kissed me," Spider-Man said with sarcasm, blaming himself. "Go ahead. Laugh it up. You find it funny when she plays me, right?"

"I wish I could, but not today," said Yuri. "I'm sorry."

"I just don't know if I can try it again with her, Yuri. I've tried and tried and here we are," said Spider-Man.

"Look, I don't like it when you tell me back off when it comes to her, but she's still your responsibility. I'm trusting you to handle her," said Yuri.

"If I'm even capable of doing that," Spider-Man said negatively.

"Hey, where's the enthusiastic optimist who always cracked a joke no matter what the situation is?" Yuri asked, refusing to listen to Spider-Man sound like a pessimist. "I'm not trusting you to mope every time you mess up. I trust you to get back up every time someone pushes you down. That's what a cop does every day. That's what Spider-Cop should do every day as well."

Spider-Man smiled underneath the mask and even sniffled with joy.

"I wish I can say, I love you," Spider-Man said jokingly.

"Me too," Yuri said sarcastically. "Well, goodnight. Sleep well. We'll get her next time."

Yuri went back to making sure all of Hammerhead's thugs are accounted for. Spider-Man was about to leave, until Silver Sable approached him. She had a sympathetic look on her face, which can only be followed by a heart-to-heart talk. No matter how much Spider-Man wanted to stay away from Silver, he had to remind himself that it's Spider-Man who has a close relationship with Silver Sable, not Peter Parker.

"I'm sorry you got involved," Spider-Man apologized. "Black Cat targeted you because of how you feel about me. Your men could've been killed."

"Well, they're not. Three are in critical condition, but they're alive," said Silver.

"You have no idea how deep this goes, Sable," said Spider-Man. "I meant... Silver."

Silver raised an eyebrow and shot a disapproving look at him.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I have to mean it," Spider-Man remembered. "But I have to know. Do you really love me?"

Silver shrugs and says, "Actions speak louder than words. And those actions have to come from _here_." She placed her hand on Spider-Man's chest where his heart is, letting him know what _here_ means.

"Sometimes, I can't believe you're the same person who tried to shoot me as a hello," said Spider-Man.

"Change happens, for better or worse," said Silver.

"Tell that to Felicia," Spider-Man said sadly. "You're not gonna tell the whole city, right?"

"She may be a criminal, but you care about her. If the history you share is as deep as you claim, then maybe she can still be reasoned with," said Silver. "Time to think has given me the opportunity to empathize with her. If someone such as I, who once had a flawed perspective on life and justice, could change for the better, who is to say she can't?"

Spider-Man chuckled a bit, but then silenced himself afterwards. Knowing he was frowning underneath the mask, Silver kissed him on the cheek. No matter how many times she does this, Spider-Man will always react with shock. Too bad Silver already boarded her vehicle before he could say anything more.

* * *

Back at MJ's apartment, Peter lied down on MJ's couch, still sulking over Black Cat. After so many years of knowing her, he thought she was finally at the point where she could be redeemed. Unfortunately, she still insists on being who she was when they first met. He knows a part of her has changed since they met, but she has yet to fully embrace it.

"You want some carrot soup?" MJ offered.

"No thanks," said Peter.

MJ puts the soup down and kneels right beside the couch. She strokes his hair like she's petting him in a desperate attempt to comfort him. He's been mopey all night and it's not gonna stop anytime soon, as it would seem. That doesn't mean she wants him to be 100% mopey.

"I'm sure you can charm her into turning over a new leaf. You did it once," MJ said positively.

Peter didn't say anything. He thought she was joking or something.

"No, I'm serious," said MJ. "Believe me, you and her happening again is the last thing I want, but... I understand how much she means to you."

"Just when I thought I finally understand her, I really don't," said Peter.

"So, I guess it's back to business with you two," said MJ. "Hero-villain business, I meant."

"Depends on what she does while in hiding," said Peter. "Until we take down Hammerhead, she has to keep sticking to the shadows."

"I wouldn't be surprised if she uses us again," said MJ.

"But I can worry about her another time," said Peter. He turns a little so he can look up at his girlfriend's pretty face. "I guess I could use a little cheering up."

Peter smiled, so MJ did as well.

"I'm always gonna be swinging back to you, no matter what," Peter promised.

"I know," said MJ. "And no matter what, I'll always be the Agent MJ to your Spider-Cop."

Peter's smile grew bigger.

MJ leans down and kisses Peter on the lips. It's like the upside-down kiss they shared years ago, only Peter is lying down on a couch and not hanging upside down from a wall. But it works either way.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Black Cat's new hideout (location unknown), the black-suited thief transfers all of the data from all the drives into her laptop. While she waited for the file transfer to finish, she looked at all of her "Cat and Spider" drawings that were taped to the walls. She constantly wondered what Spider-Man thinks of them. She never asked him because she wanted him to say something, but he never did. Bummer.

"You take the hard-to-get game to the next level, Spider," Felicia commented. "Someday, I hope you'll see."

The file transfer was complete. Felicia unplugs the drive and puts it with the rest, just for safekeeping. Felicia opens all the files that were contained in the drives. She was definitely satisfied with what she obtained.

Evidence of a secret partnership between Wilson Fisk, Norman Osborn, and Hammerhead.

Plans for an attack on the NYPD.

A large portion of Hammerhead's money.

"I lied, Spider. You were 100% correct. Blackmail. Secrets. A good amount of Hammerhead's wealth," said Felicia. "You'll thank me one day."

 **I knew I was gonna make this long, but not THIS long. Oh, well. I still hope it was good.**

 **So, what did you think? Don't be afraid to give me your full, honest opinion. As I said repeatedly, I always appreciate it.**

 **And if you don't mind, can you answer these questions (don't think too hard if you do decide to answer, or don't answer if I'm asking too much):**

 **1\. What did you think about how I wrote Spider-Man and Black Cat's dynamic?**

 **2\. What did you think about Silver Sable prioritizing civilian safety in the beginning?**

 **3\. Peter and MJ's romance. Am I getting better or worse at writing their romance?**

 **Oh, and did you catch the Tomb Raider reference?**

 **Did you notice the new cover photo? You can say Black Cat is now a main character in this story along with Peter, MJ, Miles, Silver, and Yuri. So, you'll be seeing more of Felicia Hardy in this story. You like?**


	13. A Black and White New York (AU)

**I think it's time I get weird for the sake of being weird. This is an AU chapter inspired by the Spider-Man Noir universe (never read the comic, only saw an iteration of it on the _Shattered Dimensions_ video game, so I'm just gonna do my own thing). Try imagining a black-and-white New York while reading this. Remember, I'm trying to do my own thing. This will not be comic-accurate, I'm afraid.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: StormCity, gammaxmen80, Redwall, K2-Black-Panther, Guest, ZOE, Spideysquad**

 ** _To StormCity_: I think Peter dated Felicia after his breakup with MJ, and then Peter and Felicia broke up before Peter and MJ got back together in the game.**

 ** _To gammaxmen80_: Spider-Geddon? Okay, that's a tall order. WAY too tall.**

 ** _To K2-Black-Panther_: Miles crushing on Black Cat? Ah, I don't know. Having one 15-year-old (Peter from 8 years ago) in love with Black Cat was crazy/creepy enough. Besides, I was gonna give Miles another love interest.**

 ** _To Redwall_: Lol maybe Triple-J has a point. But seriously, assuming Spider-Man should bear near-invincible is too much sometimes (I've read plenty of complaints about Silver Sable kicking his butt twice since she's a non-super). I like to add a simple argument here. At the end of the day, Spider-Man is still just a kid. 23 years old now, but still just a kid. A nice kid. Plus, I think he's too gentleman-like to ever hit a woman.**

 ** _To VenomSpawn54_: First of all, did you post the same review twice (that guest review talking about Venom and Felicia and Eddie and Osborn looked suspiciously a lot like yours)? Second, I'm pretty sure I mentioned in an earlier chapter that I really don't wanna take requests anymore and that I really want to get back to doing my own thing. As I said to another reviewer, I'm overwhelmed (and frankly, exhausted). Third, I'm not really sure about introducing Green Goblin now. I just want to keep things simple and introduce a major crisis only once in a while. Sorry. Also, I haven't seen the Venom movie. **

**_To CG_: Actually, the answer is no. I never imagined what if. I half-suspected Black Cat was lying about her son. When it turned out to be a lie, I was never curious about if it was true.**

 ** _To Felipe Montenegro_: I'm just worried that if I follow your advice, I'll end up turning Spider-Man into Batman (hard to control myself when I'm veering towards a dark tone with my writing).**

 ** _To ZOE_: I got a lot to thank you for. Thank you for that very encouraging review about the previous chapter. Thank you for telling me how I'm doing with Peter and MJ's love story. Thank you for sharing your reaction to MJ and Felicia's first meeting. Thank you for telling me about how you viewed the relationships between Peter and each "love interest" (each one having its own unique thing and vibe, as you said). Just thank you... and you're welcome. I'm glad you loved it enough to call it your favorite.**

 _ **To** **Spideysquad**_ **: I'll always do more MJ and Peter romance stuff, but I want to make time for other things. Also, I don't think I want Yuri and Silver to know Spider-Man's identity. Their relationships with "Spider-Man" is what makes their stories fun and interesting. The best I can do is have them meet Peter Parker without them knowing who he really is.**

 **NOTE: _Italics_ in this chapter mean narration by Peter Parker.**

 _"New York City. The Big Apple. One of the most famous cities in the country. Unfortunately, it's not famous for being paradise. No, New York is home to some of the dirtiest scumbags in history. It's a city infested with crime and misery. No matter where you turn, there's either a mugger, a thug, or a mob boss sneaking up behind you. New York is called The City That Never Sleeps, but only because nobody can feel safe in this town. If you so much as take a nap, something can go wrong. You could say the cops are the ones who should be relied on to protect the innocent. No. Half the force is either incompetent or on a crime lord's payroll. That's why it falls unto me to purge this city from crime."_

Perching on top of an unlit street light, looking down at the bleak streets below, Spider-Man was ready for action. (It should be obvious, but he's wearing the Noir Suit)

No matter where he goes, no matter where he looks, there's always a sign of trouble.

A woman getting mugged.

A guy getting beaten up in an alley.

Someone getting shot in their own apartment.

"The sad truth is I can't be everywhere at once," Spider-Man said somberly. "I can only stop whatever I can get to in time. This town, it stinks worse than a sewer and I'm not talking about the smell."

Since he can't do anything about the guy who just got shot, he had to help the woman getting mugged. He simply webs up the mugger and sticks him to the street light.

Afterwards, he moved to the alleyway where a guy is getting beaten up b a couple of thugs. They were just kicking him and enjoying it. Suddenly, Thug #1 gets webbed up, dragged up, and stuck to the wall. Thug #2 turns around only to get webbed in the face and then kicked in the face... by Spider-Man.

Instead of thanking his rescuer, the injured victim just ran away in fear.

 _"You'd think saving the innocent would warrant some praise. You're wrong. The people fear me as much as they fear the criminals that infest this town. But I never cared about how the people see me. What matters is that I keep scum who prey on the innocent off the streets."_

Spider-Man turns his attention back to Thug #1, who is still webbed to the wall. He crawls up to him and glares at him to frighten him, which works.

"What do you want?" Thug #1 asked, scared.

"I know you. Robert Tram. You worked for Adrian Toomes," said Spider-Man. "Where does he hide?"

"I don't know. I swear," said Thug #1. "But... but... I do know someone who might know."

"Tell me," Spider-Man ordered.

"The bounty hunter Silver. She caught a bounty for him once," said Thug #1.

The interrogation was cut short when Spider-Man and Thug #1 heard police sirens coming their way.

"Cops!" Spider-Man cursed.

Two police cars stopped at the scene. Three cops came out with their guns held up high. Among the three cops is Captain Yuriko Watanabe.

"Don't move, Spider-Man!" Yuri ordered.

"We've been over this a dozen times, Captain," said Spider-Man.

"I know, and you're still going behind bars," said Yuri. "You're a vigilante. You break the law, and it's my duty to bust all lawbreakers."

"You should be thankful. I'm doing what you and your buddies fail to do and stopping the crime in this town," said Spider-Man.

"That's the police's job, web head," said Yuri. "Now, hands in the air!"

Spider-Man slowly puts his hands in the air. Just as Yuri was about to cuff him, Spider-Man throws down a smoke bomb, creating a smokescreen to blind Yuri and her fellow officers. Spider-Man swings away from the scene to avoid arrest.

"Should we go after him?" asked an officer.

"No," said Yuri. "We'll catch him next time. Just get these two hooligans to lockup."

"Yes, captain," said the other officer.

While Yuri and her officers try to remove the webbing from the two thugs and the mugger, Spider-Man watched them from far away. He hid in the shadows so they would think he's long gone.

 _"Captain Yuriko Watanabe. One of the only good cops in the city. It's because she's a good cop that she keeps trying to arrest me every time we meet. She can be quite the lawbreaker herself. One time, during a hostage situation, she ignored protocol and went into the building without backup, confident that she could save the hostage on her own. She did. You can say she's an inspiration. Willing to break the rules when it's necessary and if it's for the good of the people. If only she'd listen to me..."_

Spider-Man swings away, because he has other places to be.

 _"This isn't one of my casual all-nighters. Tonight, I'm finally gonna catch the man who killed my uncle. His name is Adrian Toomes. Eight years ago, Toomes shot 4 innocent people while escaping the police. My uncle was one of those unfortunate 4. He's evaded me for a long time, but not tonight. When I find him... I'm gonna make him pay."_

* * *

Yuri just returned to the Chinatown precinct after arresting the mugger and the two thugs that Spider-Man captured. Now seemed like the perfect time for her return because she had just been gifted a body bag. Inside the body bag is Eduardo Ramirez, a criminal with a bounty on his head. According to the sticky note on his face, he was delivered by the bounty hunter known as Silver.

"That's the ninth one in three weeks," Yuri counted. "At this rate, I'm inclined to give her a badge."

"She's capable and quite hot, but too reckless," said an officer.

"Just send her the payment we owe her," Yuri ordered. "Last time we were late to deliver, she gave one of our guys a concussion."

And so, the NYPD send a check worth the money promised for Eduardo Ramirez's death or capture to the usual location. A bar somewhere in Harlem. The mailman delivering the check was on his way in his mail truck. Just when he thought a criminal attack would be the least of his worries, Spider-Man comes down from above and blocks his way, forcing him to brake.

The grey-suited vigilante asks the mailman to open his window so they can talk.

"Silver's check. Give it," Spider-Man growled.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

At this strange bar in Harlem, thugs were either just drinking, drinking and discussing, or arguing. Two musclebound thugs were caught in a fistfight that caught the attention of everyone in the bar. One person was uninterested, however. A woman with silver-colored hair and silver-colored clothing. She just sipped her vodka and ignored the fight.

"Hey, lady!" One thug shouted at her, pounding his fist on the table she was sitting on. "You owe my brother for that broken arm."

"He was in the way of my bounty," Silver explained nonchalantly.

"Well, here's a message from him," said the thug.

The thug pulls a gun on her, but Silver quickly shoots him in the chest, killing him quickly before he could pull the trigger. The thug falls dead as the others watch.

"She killed Frank!" Another thug shouted. "Get her!"

Thug #2 was about to jump her, until Silver grabbed his arm. She breaks his arm and then kicks him in the face with grace. Thugs #3 and #4 attack her at once, but she dodges them both and kicks them both in the faces at the same time in mid-air.

"I can do this all night," said Silver.

Just as the other thugs were about to attack her, someone kicked the doors open, attracting everyone's attention. It was Spider-Man.

"Get out, all of you," he demanded.

"Or what?" Thug #5 asked, walking up to the web head with a raised fist.

Spider-Man grabs Thug #5's fist and flips him to the ground with ease. Thug #5 tried to get up, but Spider-Man kicks him to the ceiling and webs him there. He then pulls the webbing off him and lets the thug fall down hard on the floor.

"Anyone else wanna try?" Spider-Man dared.

All the thugs raised their hands and nodded "no." They quickly left the bar, including the bartender. This leaves Spider-Man alone with Silver, who resumes with her vodka like nothing just happened a minute ago. Silver puts her feet up on the table as Spider-Man drops the letter with her check it in right in front of her. Silver opens the letter and sees that the NYPD paid her the promised reward for Eduardo Ramirez. She keeps the check in her coat with a (seemingly) satisfied look on her face. Hard to tell. Her satisfied face looks like her default face.

"So, I finally get to meet the infamous Spider-Man," Silver started.

"And I get to meet the infamous bounty hunter Silver," Spider-Man replied. "Or should I say..."

Spider-Man slams a piece of paper down on the table. It was a missing poster with a picture of a young woman with long silver hair that looks awfully like Silver.

"Silver Sablinova. Princess of Symkaria. Wanted for the murder of her father," Spider-Man finished accusingly.

"You cannot presume that is true," Silver snarled.

"No, but your entire country believes it," said Spider-Man. "Unless you want the mayor to tell the president to contact your mother, you're gonna do me a favor."

Angered about being threatened, Silver kicks Spider-Man in the chest. She approaches him with two guns, but before she could shoot him, Spider-Man webs his guns away from her. Spider-Man grabs her arm, but Silver pushes him away by kneeing him in the stomach. Silver goes for a roundhouse kick, but Spider-Man dodges it. She tries a butterfly kick, but he dodges it too. Spider-Man webs both of Silver's hands, pulls her closer, and turns her around, putting her in a position where it's like she's being cuffed and the webs are her cuffs.

"I must admit, you impress me," said Silver.

"You did a job for Adrian Toomes last month," said Spider-Man. "Do you know where he hides?"

"So, this is what this is about? Settling a grudge?" Silver asked.

"Answer the question, princess!" Spider-Man demanded.

"I don't know where he hides. We communicated through his men," said Silver.

"Names. Addresses. Anything," Spider-Man ordered.

"Phineas Mason. You'll find at a warehouse near the Williamsburg Bridge. He's a close ally of Toomes. Surely, he'll know where he is," said Silver.

"Pleasure doing business with you, your highness," Spider-Man said sarcastically.

Spider-Man releases Silver and heads for the door.

"I think you're forgetting something," Silver said, holding up the missing poster he left behind.

"I don't care," said Spider-Man.

"I'm not who you think I am," said Silver.

"So, what? You were framed or something?" Spider-Man asked disinterestedly.

"I did murder my father, but I have my reasons. Good reasons," said Silver. "Let's just say he wasn't the good man I thought he was."

"The world is a cruel place, your highness. When even your own family has something sinister to hide, that should be the only wake-up call you need," said Spider-Man.

"Something tells me you're not just looking for Toomes. This sounds personal," said Silver. "And I should know. I felt the same when I faced my father."

"It's personal, but it's my business," said Spider-Man.

"Have you even crossed that line before?" asked Silver.

Spider-Man answered in silence.

"Take it from me. You pull the trigger, you will never be the same again," said Silver.

"You don't know what I've lost to that monster," Spider-Man said with sorrow and anger.

* * *

At the Daily Bugle, New York #1 most controversial newspaper organization, Eddie Brock was delivering the latest news to his boss, J. Jonah Jameson, who is in his office having an argument with his wife over the phone.

"... and I say, if you invest in that piece of garbage, we're gonna loose half our money. And that'll be your fault!" Jameson yelled. "Oh, don't blame me! I'm just the one running a multi-million-dollar news organization while you're WORKING AT A FLOWER SHOP!"

"Jonah, Eddie's here," Robbie called.

Jameson says over the phone, "I gotta go. But remember, don't invest. I'm serious."

Jameson hangs up as Eddie enters.

"Hey, Jonah. I just interviewed a police officer about Spider-Man's latest catch," said Eddie. "Two street bullies and a mugger."

"Just another Monday, huh?" Jameson commented.

"It's Wednesday," said Eddie.

"I don't care what day it is! This isn't worth a page-one story, Brock!" Jameson yelled. "Next time you wanna be the lucky reporter who catches Spider-Man, do it when he's seriously injured a hooligan or assaulted a police officer again!"

"He's only assaulted officers because they attacked him first," said Robbie.

"That's crap!" Jameson replied loudly. "The witness was proven to be a Spider-Man fanboy, which means he'll say anything to make his _hero_ look like the one in the right. That monochromatic menace is nothing but that. A monochromatic menace. Plus, his vigilantism sells papers. Now, you two, get out of here!"

Eddie leaves the office only to appear to want to leave the building and get back to finding a story. Robbie tried to stop him.

"Eddie, please, don't go back out there," said Robbie. "You gotta stop going after Spider-Man."

"Don't you get it, Robbie. If I get to be the reporter who covered a big story on Spider-Man, I can make a name for myself in this town," said Eddie.

"And anyone who makes a name for himself in the newspaper business automatically becomes a target to anyone in this city," said Robbie.

* * *

At a theater somewhere in Manhattan, hundreds of people sat to watch a play called "The Dove Sings." The lead actress is Mary Jane Watson, playing a character named Lillian Westcott, a young woman who owns a dove that she believes is her spirit animal. Her father and mother believe her bond with the dove is an obsession that is destroying her life and try to take it away from her.

Right now, in the play, the parents take the cage with the dove in it away from the daughter.

"This dove needs to go!" The father insisted.

"No, papa!" Lillian (MJ) begged.

"You are a grown woman, Lillian," said the mother. "You should be out there, finding a man or a job, not talking to a bird."

"Charles is not just a bird," said Lillian. Charles is the name of the bird.

"Well, _Charles_ is going back to the shop," said the father.

A struggle occurred, one that Lillian lost in. Her parents took the cage away from her. Lillian collapses to her knees and cries, afraid she'll never see Charles again. As she looked up the skies and prayed, she saw someone perched on beam above.

Spider-Man.

MJ nearly broke character when she almost stopped crying, but he gave her a gesture that reminded her that she's still acting. MJ managed to make it look like she was doing a little improvisation, where her character's crying ceased because of hope.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

After the play, MJ returned to her dressing room to congratulate herself for a wonderful performance. The audience and her co-stars seemed impressed, especially the director of the play. When she walked in, she found a certain someone crawling on the ceiling. Yup, it's Spider-Man. As soon as she locked the door, he descended.

"I thought you would never come," said MJ.

"I did too," said Spider-Man. "Then I thought... why would I ever?"

"Take off the mask, Pete," said MJ. "It's just us."

"Better safe than sorry," Spider-Man refused.

"One of these days, I would like to see you in the audience, instead of sneaking around just because you're late," said MJ.

"Well, today isn't the day," said Spider-Man. "I just found a way to get to Toomes. In case something happens, I just wanted to see your play like I promised."

"Pete, you can't keep going after Toomes," said MJ. "It's ruining you. Your Aunt May is in the hospital fighting for her life for the past eight years. You need to be by her side, not risking your life for revenge."

"I can't let this go, MJ. You know that," said Spider-Man. "I need to get justice for my uncle."

"And you will, but not with..." MJ swipes his gun from him. " _This_. This isn't you, Pete."

"There's only one bullet in there and I'm saving that for Toomes," Spider-Man said as he took the gun back. "Once he's gone, I'm getting rid of it."

"But there are other ways to kill people besides guns," said MJ. "Are you sure you're gonna feel okay after you do this?"

"I won't know until I see him," said Spider-Man.

MJ is really concerned. Ever since his uncle died, all Peter wanted was revenge. He went from the chipper, jokey teenager to a brooding young man who wears a scary-looking suit to frighten criminals.

"So, you said you found a way to find Toomes?" asked MJ.

"Phineas Mason. Some inventor or tinkerer who works for Toomes. I was told he's hiding somewhere near the Williamsburg Bridge," said Spider-Man. "Anyway, I gotta go. Great performance, by the way."

Spider-Man leaves the theater, but not before MJ stopped him for just one more moment. She kisses him on the cheek, wishing him luck. She only wishes she didn't have to kiss him on the mask, though.

 _"Mary Jane Watson. My best friend since childhood. She means the world to me, and I assume I must mean the same to her. We did everything together and we've gotten way passed the point where we shouldn't be strangers to each other. Yet, that's what I seem like to her. After Uncle Ben... she never understood how much taking down Toomes means to me. But this isn't just about revenge. The sooner I can be at peace, the sooner I can finally get what I've always wanted. MJ and I, together forever. I can't have that if I'm not at peace with myself."_

* * *

Spider-Man arrives at the warehouse where Silver told him to go to. Using the shadows, he attempts to sneak in. A couple of Toomes' men were guarding the outside. While one goon had his back turned, his comrade was webbed up and trapped in a web-like cocoon. By the time the goon saw what happened to his friend, Spider-Man descends upon him from above like a vampire and shuts him up... temporarily.

Inside the warehouse, five of Toomes' men keep things tidy while Phineas Mason works on the weapons that Toomes assigned him to do.

"He's quite the tinkerer, alright," Spider-Man commented.

Using a web shot, Spider-Man distracts Phineas, forcing him to look the other way. This gave the grey-suited vigilante a chance to take out the five goons quietly. He webs them up one at a time, drags them to the ceiling, and wraps them up from neck to toe.

When Phineas turned around, there was no one patrolling the area.

"Uh, where is everyone?" Phineas wondered.

Suddenly, Phineas' shoe is webbed up and he is dragged up to the ceiling upside-down. He screams as he is lifted higher and higher off the ground. He finally comes face to face with the one who dragged him up. Spider-Man.

"Unless you want me to let go, you're gonna have to talk," Spider-Man said threateningly.

"What do you want?" Phineas asked, scared.

"Where's Toomes?" asked Spider-Man.

"I... I... I don't know," Phineas answered.

Believing he's lying, Spider-Man lets go. Phineas screams as he falls down to his doom. Halfway down, however, he stopped. Spider-Man pulled him back up. He was trying to scare him, warn him about lying to him.

"Try again," said Spider-Man.

"I swear, I don't know," said Phineas. "He stopped telling me where he goes after someone else found out..."

"Who?" asked Spider-Man.

"The Cat," Phineas answered.

"Black Cat," Spider-Man realized. "Where is she..."

Suddenly, more and more of Toomes' goons barged in. They quickly looked up and aimed their guns at Spider-Man. Spider-Man leaves Phineas hanging upside-down on the ceiling and swings away. Toomes' goons started firing. Spider-Man gets hit in the leg, causing him to fall and crash into a pile of barrels. As he tried to get up, one of the goons threw a grenade his way. Spider-Man managed to swing away from the grenade, but couldn't evade the blast. He gets blown back and falls down injured... and unconscious.

"Kill him," one goon said.

Before Spider-Man was about to be shot, another grenade drops into the scene. This grenade didn't explode. It released gas that clouded everyone's vision. One thug ran through the smoke to see if Spider-Man is still where he lied before the grenade went off.

He wasn't there.

* * *

Spider-Man wakes up and finds himself lying down on a comfy bed in a small apartment. Sitting down on a chair and watching him from across the room while stirring a cup of coffee is the woman he was just about to look for.

Black Cat.

"Don't worry. I didn't look underneath the mask," said Black Cat. "You've been asleep for two hours, by the way."

"How did you know where I was?" asked Spider-Man.

"Really, Spider? That's your first words waking up?" Black questioned. "No _hello, Felicia_? Or _thanks for saving my life, Felicia_?"

Spider-Man sighs and says, "Thank you. Really. I'd... I'd be dead if it wasn't for you."

"There we go. Good boy," Black Cat teased. "As for how I found you... Silver."

"Friend of yours?" Spider-Man asked.

"She saved my neck once. We hang out at that strange bar in Harlem once in a while," said Black Cat. "I showed up a while after you left the bar. I asked her what you were there for. She told me about Mason."

"So, you came out of retirement to save me. I'm touched," Spider-Man said sarcastically.

"If you think I'm getting back in the game, you're wrong," said Black Cat. "I'm trying to go straight, Spider. The night club business is booming, so... no reason to go back to old habits. Well, unless you're about to get yourself killed."

Spider-Man gets up from the bed, but he was still a little too hurt to move around.

"Hey, whoa. Too soon, Spider," Black Cat said, concerned.

"Where's Toomes?" Spider-Man asked, ignoring Black Cat's concern. "Mason said you know where he is."

"Toomes frequents at a secret lab in Oscorp," Black Cat answered.

"Toomes works for Normal Osborn? Well, I suppose that explains a few things," said Spider-Man. "I gotta go now. Mason must've told Osborn by now that I'm coming for Toomes."

"It's like Toomes' men knew you would be looking for Mason. How is that?" Black Cat wondered.

"A mystery for another time," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man opens the window and prepares to swing away.

"Maybe after you take down Toomes, you can drop by the club and we can celebrate with a drink," Black Cat suggested flirtatiously.

"Sorry, but my heart lies somewhere else," said Spider-Man.

 _"Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. The Black Cat. She used to be your typical cat burglar, with the exception of a skin-tight leather suit, acrobatics, and self-made gadgets. She and I danced around each other for five years. She's always been in love with the legend, me, but never cared about who was underneath the mask. I managed to convince her to go straight. She runs a night club and from what she just told me, it seems that she's finally avoiding the path to the slammer. I may not feel the same way she feels for me, but I'd rather see her living a normal life than being the one to put her behind bars."_

* * *

MJ returns to her apartment after finishing up at the theater. Right now, all she wants is a goodnight sleep. As she opened the door, she found a certain someone sitting on her couch.

Spider-Man. He looked hurt and his leg was bandaged.

"Pete, are you okay?" MJ asked, worried.

"I'm fine," said Spider-Man.

"What happened?" asked MJ.

"Toomes knew. I don't know how, but he knew I'd go after his weapons tinkerer," said Spider-Man. "Lots of guys with guns... one round to the leg... I was lucky Felicia saved me."

"Did she...?" MJ asked curiously.

"She just patched me up and let me go," said Spider-Man.

"Pete, I don't know if I can do this anymore," said MJ. "A long time ago, you told me to wait for you. You promised me that once you're done with Toomes, we can finally be together. But I don't know if I can handle waiting and worrying at the same time. I lost my dad a long time ago, Pete. I don't know if I can handle losing you."

"You don't have to worry. It's almost over," said Spider-Man. "Luckily, Felicia knew where to find Toomes. I'm gonna find him and end this tonight."

"And if you don't come back?" MJ asked worriedly.

"I will come back," Spider-Man promised.

"Then take me with you," MJ pleaded.

"No, I can't risk that. It's too dangerous," said Spider-Man.

"Because I can't do what you can?" MJ questioned.

"MJ, please," Spider-Man begged. "It will all be over tonight. I will stop Toomes and we can finally have the life we've always talked about."

"Will you even be the same man I know and love after you kill Toomes?" MJ questioned.

Spider-Man couldn't answer that question, only because he didn't know how. He decided to leave right now so they can settle this once and for all later.

"Wait," said MJ.

MJ pulls off the mask and kisses Peter on the lips. In case something were to go wrong tonight, she wanted this moment now rather than later. Peter kissing her back meant he understood.

* * *

Spider-Man makes it to Oscorp, run by the nefarious Norman Osborn. The entire city knows that Norman is a corrupt businessman, using his money and power to make deals with criminals and carry out his own illegal activities. Thanks to the legal system and how he uses it as a shield, the Oscorp CEO can't be touched. Well, if the people were to find out that he hired a known criminal like Adrian Toomes, there's no way he can get out of this. So, tonight is the night Spider-Man not only gets revenge on Toomes for his uncle's death but also the night he takes down Manhattan's biggest threat.

 _"I'm coming for, Osborn. Your days of luxury and crime are over. As for you, Toomes, I got a special surprise for you."_

Spider-Man put a hand on his gun as a reminder of how he's going to end this tonight. Just as he was about to swing into the building, he heard the sound of a gun click and a familiar voice.

"Off the walls, web head!"

It was Yuri. She aimed her gun at him to make sure he doesn't go anywhere.

"You're making a mistake, captain," said Spider-Man.

"I said, off the walls!" Yuri repeated.

Spider-Man puts his hands up as he walks down the walls and on the ground. Yuri picks up her radio to call for backup.

"How did you find me?" asked Spider-Man.

"Robert Tram, one of the thugs you caught tonight," Yuri answered. "I interrogated him, he told me who you were looking for, I followed the trail to Silver, who led me to Phineas Mason, who led me to Felicia Hardy, who led me here."

"And being the police captain meant no one can say no to you," Spider-Man added.

"Whatever business you have with Toomes, you can take it up with him at Ryker's," said Yuri. "The police will handle this."

"And yet, you showed up here alone," Spider-Man noticed. "Either you thought you could take me alone or... you wanted to move on Osborn and Toomes, but your superiors couldn't approve of that action."

Yuri stopped dialing when Spider-Man's words hit her. He was right. Why else would she be here alone and calling backup until after she arrived?

"Look, you and I both want the same thing. We both want Osborn behind bars," said Spider-Man. "But you can't do it yourself. You need me. We take down Toomes and Osborn together, I'm yours afterwards."

"You expect me to trust you?" asked Yuri.

"I expect you to see the big picture," said Spider-Man. "Either you die going after both of them by yourself or you let me help you and we can end this tonight. Your choice, captain. Remember, you came here alone. Let that sink in."

Deep down, Yuri knew he was right. Going into Oscorp alone is a suicide mission. She needs all the help she can get, and right now, Spider-Man is all she's got. She lowers her gun, having made her final decision.

"I'll head to the security room to find the secret lab," said Yuri. "You stop Osborn once and for all."

"Whoa!"

Spider-Man and Yuri turned around and saw Eddie Brock taking pictures of them.

"Police Captain Watanabe working with Spider-Man. This is gold," Eddie cheered.

Spider-Man looks at Yuri and asks, "May I?"

"Go ahead," said Yuri.

The next thing Eddie sees through his camera is a web shot heading straight for his face.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man sneaks into Oscorp and tries to get to Osborn's office without setting off any alarms. That meant he has to take everyone out quietly. Good thing Yuri had a backup radio he can use to communicate with her.

 _"Okay, I'm in the security room," said Yuri. "Turning off the lights... now."_

Well, most of the lights. Yuri knew that even Spider-Man needed some sight. Fortunately, it's dark enough for him to sneak around undetected.

 _"Give 'em hell, Spider-Man," said Yuri._

"Nice to have friends," Spider-Man commented.

 _"We're not friends," said Yuri._

"You know what I mean," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man uses the beams built near the ceiling to stay off the ground. He finds two of Osborn's guards close together, but they weren't looking at each other. He webs up one and then web-zips himself towards the second one to knock him out with a kick. He continues to stick to the shadows as he crawls on the walls. He fires multiple web shots at an incoming guard and sticks him to the wall.

"I'm almost as Osborn's office," Spider-Man reported.

 _"Backup will be here in ten minutes," said Yuri. "Make it quick."_

"Have you found the lab yet?" asked Spider-Man.

 _"There's nothing here that says secret lab," Yuri said sarcastically. "But there is a large empty space in the 41st floor."_

"Gotta be where Toomes is," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man continues sneaking, crawling, and webbing up guards as he makes his way to the 41st floor. He crawled up the elevator hatch to hide above the elevator in case anyone might come in before he could reach the 41st floor. So far, only two stops. Guards from the 12th floor stopped at the 33rd floor. After that, the elevator stops at 41st floor uninterrupted.

"This ends today, Toomes," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man enters the only office on the floor, where the wall that hides the big empty space is. Just as Spider-Man was about to try and find a secret door, his Spider Sense tingled. Something came bursting out of the secret door and tackles Spider-Man.

It was Adrian Toomes, dressed in a dark green suit that looked like it had bird wings and his mask looked like a bird's beak.

"Like the new suit, Spider-Man?" Toomes asked. "Like a vulture, it helps me swoop down on my prey."

"Vulture? I think you just named yourself," Spider-Man commented.

Vulture tackles Spider-Man again and smashes through the window, taking the fight outside. Spider-Man webs his face, causing him to fly out of control. The two crash on the roof of Oscorp. Vulture fires a hook from his wings and ties up Spider-Man, electrocuting him slowly until he dies.

"Eight years of having to deal with you... no more!" Vulture said.

"Wr-wrong... T-Toomes!" Spider-Man grunted vengefully.

Spider-Man webs Vulture's face, causing him to cease the electrocution. Spider-Man webs Vulture's wings and slams them against each other, damaging them. Spider-Man web-zips himself towards Vulture and kicks him in the face hard. Vulture attempted to his wings, but Spider-Man rips one wing off with his webs. Vulture was about to draw his gun, but Spider-Man webs it away from him and throws it off the roof.

Spider-Man grabs Vulture by the collar and punches him hard in the face, shattering his "beak."

"You're finished, Toomes," Spider-Man growled.

Spider-Man draws his gun and aims at Vulture's head. He pulls off his mask so his uncle's killer can see his face.

"You're younger than I pictured," said Vulture.

"Eight years ago, you shot and killed four innocent people during a chase with the police. My Uncle Ben, he was one of those four," said Spider-Man.

"Peter Parker. Well, what are the odds?" Vulture said. "Yes, I've heard of you. Osborn's son spoke much about you."

"Shut up!" Spider-Man shouted as he pistol-whipped Vulture in the face. "Eight years I've waited for this moment. Eight years of suffering. Well now, it ends."

Before he could pull the trigger, Spider-Man's Spider Sense tingled. Before could react, he was hit in the back of the shoulder by a gunshot. Spider-Man drops his gun because of the gunshot and clutches his aching shoulder. Turning around to see who shot him...

"MJ?"

There she was. Mary Jane Watson, holding a gun pointing directly at him.

"I'm sorry, Pete," MJ apologized. "But I couldn't let you."

"MJ, why are you doing this?" asked Spider-Man.

Before MJ could answer, Norman Osborn showed up (prompting Spider-Man to put his mask back on immediately), coming through the secret hatch the roof that acts as an emergency escape. Accompanying him are two of his guards and two hostage. Yuri and... MJ's dad?

"So, we finally meet," said Norman.

"No need to act nice, you piece of scum," Spider-Man growled.

"I'm sorry, but Norman left me no choice," MJ said apologetically.

"When I discovered that you and Ms. Watson were close, I thought I could use her to my advantage," said Norman. "All I had to do was go after her father."

"Wait... MJ, you were the one who told Toomes I was going after Mason, didn't you?" Spider-Man realized.

"I asked. You answered. And then I made the call," said MJ.

"If you want your father to be free, Ms. Watson, all you have to do is finish the job," said Norman. "Kill him."

MJ couldn't. Shooting the man she loved in the shoulder was hard enough, but to kill him... she couldn't, not even for her father. Seeing that Yuri was about to escape from her cuffs, MJ came up with a plan.

"No," said MJ.

MJ shoots right at Norman's feet, startling everyone. Yuri escapes from her cuffs and punches the two guards holding her and Mr. Watson hostage. MJ grabs her father and hides. Yuri runs as the two guards start shooting at her. She shoots at them in return. Unfortunately, Mr. Watson was accidentally shot in the back by one of Norman's guards. He drops dead, right at his daughter's feet.

"Dad!" MJ cried.

The shooting continued until Yuri managed to kill one of the guards. Spider-Man webs Guard #2 in the face and knocks him out with an uppercut.

"What are you for, Toomes, you fool?! Get them!" Norman ordered.

Despite his damaged wings, the blaster built on them were still operational. He shoots at everyone in sight (except for Norman). Spider-Man, MJ, and Yuri dodged all the bullets by moving fast. Spider-Man webs the blaster's hole shut and then web-zips himself towards Vulture for another lethal kick to the face.

Yuri, meanwhile, tackles Norman before he could retreat back into the building.

"Not this time, dirtbag," said Yuri.

Spider-Man picks up his dropped gun and aims at Vulture again.

"Even if you can pull that trigger, you do realize there's no turning back," said Vulture. "I know who you are. Killing me is no longer a want. It's a need."

Spider-Man knew he was right. He didn't expect MJ and Norman to barge, but he took off his mask in front of Vulture. If he lives, he'll tell everyone the truth. Spider-Man was about to pull the trigger, until he saw the look on MJ's face. Now, she really has lost her father. If he pulls the trigger, what would she think of him now?

"I'd rather see you in jail," Spider-Man decided. "Captain, make sure he keeps his trap shut."

"And what makes you sure I won't use him to know who you are?" asked Yuri.

"I don't. Do whatever you want with him. Just make sure he never sees the light again," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man jumps off the roof and swings away.

* * *

After spending the next few hours waiting on Yuri to expose him, she didn't. Relieved, Spider-Man heads to MJ's apartment to talk to her. Her father just died and he thought she could use the comfort. Taking off his mask as he enters through her window, he looks for her. To his shock, the place was cleaned out. There's nothing left...

Except for a latter on MJ's bed. It says:

 _"Dear Peter,_

 _Congratulations. You brought down both Toomes and Osborn and helped this city reach a new era of rebuilding. Unfortunately, I can't be there to witness that new era. I'm going away, probably forever. I can't stay here in New York, Pete. All this misery, all the secrets I had to keep from you, all this waiting, I can't take it anymore. I know this is the worst time to leave, but for me, it feels right. My dad's gone for real this time, Pete, and I don't know how I'm going to deal with that. You had Toomes dead to rights, but you didn't kill him. And I'm proud of you for that. Wishing for you to give up this vendetta was futile, so instead, I wished you would make the right choice. But I'm afraid this is where our story ends._

 _Keep fighting, Pete. If anyone can make this city a better place, it's you. Maybe we'll see each other again someday, maybe not. Odds are leaning more towards not. But I just want you to know that I still believe in you._

 _Love now and always,  
MJ"_

While Peter was moping in his apartment about the letter, MJ was at the train station, preparing to leave New York. She knew leaving would make Peter feel worse, but she needed to get away because she believed she needed to. After looking back one more time, thinking about Peter, she boards the train and is off to who knows where.

 **I know. This was weird. But hey, I needed something to write while I thought of something else for the PS4 universe. Remember, this is an AU chapter that has no link to the rest of the story. Just something I've been wanting to do. I mean, I really love the Noir Suit and I wanted to write about it somehow. This is what I came up with.**

 **So, what do you think? Don't be afraid to give me your full, honest opinion.**

 **NEXT: Itsy Bitsy Spider (Care to guess what that means?)**


	14. Itsy Bitsy Spider

**Watching heroes like Ant-Man and The Atom (and this one episode of The Flash) made me wonder what kind of adventure Spider-Man would have if he were their size when they shrank. Probably just a bunch of hilarious shenanigans. Well, that's why I wrote this. I wanted to see what I can do with a spider-sized Spider-Man. Hope you'll love it.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it. (But no requests, please)**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the most recent reviews: kival737101, SpideySquad, Mitsuki Shigamatsu, Dcarus, Redwall, CG, ZOE**

 ** _To Dcarus_: Maybe one day. I've actually been thinking about it while I was writing the Noir chapter.**

 ** _To Redwall_: Thanks for the reply to my argument. Nice to know we came to an agreement. And yeah, I got a Batman vibe while I was writing the Noir chapter.**

 ** _To guest_: Still thinking about it. I just wanna keep this as a "Spidey and Friends" story until then.**

 ** _To CG_: Excellent guess.**

 ** _To mastergamer14_: Okay, those sound like good ideas, but I just really don't wanna take requests anymore. Besides, there is one name from your ideas I was already planning to introduce, but I'm still planning on it.**

Spider-Man and his protege Miles Morales, a.k.a. Spider-Boy (they still haven't found a better nickname for him yet) are chasing Taskmaster across the rooftops. He escaped from Ryker's weeks ago and was the one who released Shocker, which led to the fight between him and the two spider-powered heroes earlier this month _(Chapter 11, just to be clear)_. Taskmaster's grapple device made it possible for him to get further away from the heroes, but said heroes kept up with him with their web-swinging. Miles is still, in Spider-Man terms, a Level 5 swinging expert. But when it came to cross-city chases, Miles had to go big (or go home).

"At least I'm swinging towards the bad guy and not from him," Spider-Boy said. "Makes advanced-level swinging easier."

"Hey, I was already swinging at advanced level on Day 3," said Spider-Man. "And that was because I was chasing a runaway vehicle."

"Nothing like a chase to help you level up fast," Spider-Boy commented.

"Are you two gonna chat all day, or are you gonna come and get me?" Taskmaster asked, annoyed by the chattering behind him.

Taskmaster throws electric bolas at his pursuers. Spider-Man dodges the bolas, but Spider-Boy reacted too late. Spider-Boy gets tied up and begins to fall, heading straight for a flower shop.

"Not this time, world," Spider-Man said determinedly.

Spider-Man fires a web shot at the bolas, only to get electrocuted himself. Spider-Man crashes on a rooftop while Spider-Boy crashes into the flower shop, destroying several pots and smashing many poor flowers.

Spider-Man taps his mask's built-in communicator and asks, "Miles, are you okay?"

 _"I'm good," said Spider-Boy. "Ow. Okay, maybe not so good."_

"Sit tight. I'll get you," said Spider-Man.

 _"No, you have to get Taskmaster," said Spider-Boy. "I'll catch up... ow... as soon as I can feel my spine again. Just go!"_

Spider-Man knew his partner would be okay. He has super healing now, after all. Spider-Man did as his partner told him and continued chasing Taskmaster, who was getting away. Spider-Man had to use a two-web boost to get closer, only for Taskmaster to do the same with two grappling devices.

"I've seen all your moves, kid. I know how to get away from you," said Taskmaster.

"Just because you know all my moves, doesn't mean you can't see everything coming," said Spider-Man.

To catch up with Taskmaster, Spider-Man needed to do something daring and effective. He stops on a roof, fires two web shots at two adjacent buildings, pulls with all of his strength, and then... WHOOSH! He slingshots himself straight at Taskmaster. He tackles him in mid-air and the two end up

"Nice move," Taskmaster complimented. "I think I'll use it next time."

"There won't be a next time," said Spider-Man.

"Ryker's couldn't hold me. They couldn't even take off my mask," said Taskmaster. "What makes you so sure you can hold me for good this time?"

"By kicking your butt and hauling it back to Commissioner Watanabe," Spider-Man answered casually.

"All this potential, wasted on a child," said Taskmaster.

"Aw, I thought you were impressed," Spider-Man said, pretending to feel offended.

"I am impressed. You have skill, determination, and great power, yet all of them are shackled into the mind of a boy," said Taskmaster.

"Hey, it's part of my charm," said Spider-Man. "Now, before we punch each other, how about you hand over what you stole from A.I.M.?"

"You have no idea of the true identity of the Advanced Idea Mechanics, Spider-Man," said Taskmaster. "If anything, stealing from them is doing this city a favor."

"Then I'll turn over what you took to the proper authorities," said Spider-Man.

"I'd let you do that, if I wasn't paid to steal it," said Taskmaster.

"And what makes you think this secret organization of yours is better than A.I.M., assuming A.I.M. is a secretly evil science division?" asked Spider-Man.

"I don't ask question. I do what I'm paid to do," said Taskmaster. "Fortunately, they didn't say I could waste one of _these_ one you."

Taskmaster draws his sword and charges at Spider-Man. Spider-Man dodges his swings, but Taskmaster blocks his punches. Spider-Man manages to find an opening and uppercuts Taskmaster, sending him flying a few feet in the air. Spider-Man webs him, pulls him down, and slams him down on the concrete.

"You're not gonna copy that, are you?" Spider-Man asked hopefully.

Taskmaster did. He uppercuts Spider-Man in the air and uses his grappling device to pull the hero down and slam his face on the ground. To keep Spider-Man down, Taskmaster slashes the web crawler's chest with his sword. Spider-Man stays down due to extreme pain. Super healing or not, he's still human.

"Next time, don't hold back," said Taskmaster.

Spider-Man covers his wound with his own webbing as he slowly stands up, only for Taskmaster to quickly kick him off the roof. Taskmaster then throws something at him. It looked like a small silver disk with a red glow in the middle.

"Don't sell yourself _short_ just yet, kid," Taskmaster quipped.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man wakes up after a long fall and a hard crash. His chest wound was slowly healing, but it still hurt like hell. Good thing he sealed it with his webbing. Right now, he had to get Taskmaster. Unfortunately, he had a new problem.

A giant rat.

"Hey... whoa... uh... hello?" Spider-Man babbled, confused by what he's seeing. "Um, I'm your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. What's your name?"

The rat responded by squeaking at his face. From Spider-Man's current perspective, it looked and sounded like a hi-pitched roar.

"Okay, goodbye," Spider-Man said, scared.

Spider-Man starts swinging away. A giant rat wasn't his only problem, however. So many things around him seemed bigger than they should be. A crushed soda can. An apple core. A crumpled-up newspaper. A plank. A dumpster. Simply put, everything is like a hundred times bigger than he remembered. Webbing to stuff was a little bit harder, which meant the rat kept gaining on him.

"Hey, look, buddy. Can we just settle this over some cheese with the missus?" Spider-Man begged in a sort of joking manner.

The rat "roared" angrily in response.

"Or the mister? You're a girl, right?" Spider-Man said, feeling that he offended the rat.

The rat kept chasing him, unfortunately. Spider-Man tried running up the dumpster, but the rat jumped after him. He wasn't gonna make it, he could tell. Fortunately, he can think as fast as he moves.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Spider-Man intentionally jump off the side of the dumpster, leaving the rat to bang its head on the metal container, knocking itself out.

"Sorry, little guy. But you left me no choice," Spider-Man said dramatically.

Spider-Man walks towards the end of the alley (while trying to stay hidden from the much larger people walking down the streets) to check on his location. Oddly enough, he was right across the Daily Bugle. And it just so happens that his girlfriend works there.

He contacts her. Good thing his mask's comm unit still works at this size.

"Hey, MJ," Spider-Man greeted.

 _"Hey, Pete," MJ greeted._

"Listen, I need you to come get me," said Spider-Man. "You'll find me in an alleyway across the front door of the Bugle. Don't ask. Just come for me and be sure to watch where you step. I'll explain everything later."

* * *

Back at MJ's apartment, MJ sat on her couch trying not to laugh. Why? Because she has a teeny tiny Spider-Man standing on her coffee table, right in front of her. How teeny tiny? About 2 inches in height. Small enough for MJ to carry him in one hand, which she did in order to bring him back to her place. To keep him hidden, she had to close her fingers around him and trap him in her fist, but she was gentle as to not injure him.

"Look, if you wanna laugh, laugh," Spider-Man said, tired of watching MJ giggle once every two to three seconds.

"Sorry, it's just..." MJ giggled again. "Is it wrong if I say you look so cute?"

"Wasn't I cute before?" Spider-Man asked half-sarcastically. "And how can you hear me so well? Shouldn't my voice be all tiny and squeaky-sounding?"

"I think the squeaky voice thing only happens in the movies," said MJ. "Although, I kinda wish your voice was squeaky."

"Okay, moving on," Spider-Man interrupted. "According to my suit's CPU, this is Ant-Man's shrinking tech. That means the solution is simple. We just need to get a growing disk and grow me back to normal. The solution is simple, but the steps to reach that solution are not. Step 1: Find Taskmaster."

"Well, then call Miles," said MJ.

Spider-Man did exactly just that. He contacts his protege, who he hasn't heard from since he crashed into a flower shop.

 _"Yo, Pete," Miles answered. "Where are you? I can't find you or Taskmaster anywhere."_

"Taskmaster got away. I'm back at MJ's place," said Spider-Man.

 _"How'd you lose him?" asked Miles._

"I, uh... he, well... let's just say I found out what he stole from A.I.M.," said Spider-Man.

"And?" Miles asked.

After a long hesitation, Spider-Man said, "Ant-Man's shrink tech."

 _"Wait, are you, like, small right now?" Miles guessed. "That's so cool. Can you send a picture?"_

"Miles!" Spider-Man scolded.

 _"Right, sorry. Serious situation. Got it," Miles corrected himself. "I'm gonna go look for Taskmaster... wherever he is. Any ideas?"_

"No, but I may have a way," said Spider-Man. "I'm going to analyze the Pym Particles on my suit and send the data to you. You can use them to track down Taskmaster."

After seventy-two seconds of analyzing, Spider-Man sends Miles the data.

 _"Okay, got it," said Miles. "Don't worry. I won't let you down."_

"I hate sending you out there against Taskmaster by yourself," said Spider-Man.

 _"Don't worry. You told me how to beat him. Just be quicker and more creative," said Miles. "I got this, coach. I've faced him before... and lost... but I'll beat him this time."_

"Just don't get shrunk," said Spider-Man. "Or else we'll have to send MJ after Taskmaster and we both don't want that..."

"Ahem!"

That angry fake cough came from MJ, who glared at the tiny superhero threateningly.

Frightened by the glare, Spider-Man said, "Ah... because Taskmaster would be so dead if he had to go up against someone like MJ. He'd have no chance, right, Miles?"

 _"Ah... sure," Miles replied, confused._

Spider-Man hangs up before he can say anything else that would make MJ angry... well, angrier. MJ still stared at him with a death glare, but she gave him a small smile and a nod that told him that he's safe... for now.

"Uh, please don't step on me... or squash me... or squeeze me..." Spider-Man babbled. "Sorry, I got so many images in my head of the million possible ways you could kill me right now, not that you would..."

MJ cuts off Spider-Man by grabbing him without warning. Spider-Man gets an up-close look on MJ's angry face. He was scared stiff, as he just looked at her without even bothering to move. He didn't want to provoke her any further. He only hoped that his babbling didn't give her any ideas about how she should punish him.

"Meap," Spider-Man squealed fearfully.

Spider-Man had to remind himself of his current situation. He is currently two inches tall and at the mercy of Mary Jane Watson, his girlfriend. From his new perspective, she's a mountainous goddess. Her divine beauty is magnified before his eyes and he couldn't take his eyes off her. Not that he could even if he wanted to. Her large green eyes stared into his soul. Her gigantic pink lips To think, she can hold him in one hand and do whatever she wants to him, and that's scary.

MJ takes off Spider-Man's mask, allowing her to see the scared look on his face. How scared does he look? Staring-at-the-face-of-death kind of scared.

MJ quickly brings Peter closer to her face. He shuts his eyes as he braces himself for whatever is going to happen. Suddenly, he felt something stick to his face. Something soft and fleshy and smells like... raspberry lip balm?

That's right. MJ is kissing his tiny little head with her gargantuan lips (well, gargantuan to Peter, at his current size). Spider-Man started to feel suffocated by the kiss. He could barely breathe. Next thing he knew, he was sucked all the way in. Accidentally, actually (MJ may have kissed him so hard, she accidentally sucked him in). Lying down in the middle of her tongue, Peter laid eyes on the human mouth from the inside (and he thought this can only happen in cartoons). MJ's pearly whites were both pleasant and terrifying to look at, as he feared being in between said pearly whites and he reminded himself to mind his own dental hygiene.

To his relief, MJ opens her mouth and drops him on her hand. To his dismay, his head is covered in his girlfriend's saliva.

"Oops. My bad," MJ apologized.

MJ grabs a tissue and uses it to wipe Peter clean.

"So... did you like that?" MJ asked casually.

"I'm just glad you didn't accidentally suck me all the way in," Peter joked.

MJ giggles and says, "I'll take that as a yes."

MJ uncurls her fingers so Peter can sit down safely on her palm instead of being squeezed in her fist. She gives him back his mask, which he immediately puts back on.

"Sorry for the scare and the surprise, but I can't help it. Seeing you like this, it's making me feel like a little girl inside," said MJ.

"I think I'm in a horror movie," Spider-Man muttered.

"Oh, don't be such a grumpy guppy, Petey," said MJ.

MJ playfully pets Spider-Man by lightly tapping the top of his tiny head with her index finger. Spider-Man feels more like a pet than an action figure. Personally, he preferred to be chopping soda cans and web-shooting at walls than being smothered by his girlfriend's giant lips. Not that he didn't like the kiss one bit, but he preferred to kiss her at normal size.

"Okay, I need to get back to the Bugle. I still have some stuff I have to get finished there," said MJ. "You stay here and wait until I get back."

"I don't just wanna sit here," Spider-Man said, sounding like a child.

"Peter, you're the size of an actual spider. I don't want you to get hurt or killed out there," said MJ. "Stay here. I mean it."

"And if I don't?" Spider-Man asked, daring his girlfriend to threaten him.

Well, she did. She closes her fingers around him and squeezes him in her fist, if not too much. A mischievous smile showed on MJ's face as she watched her boyfriend squirm in her hand.

"Okay... ack... message received," Spider-Man said, giving in.

MJ releases Spider-Man and gently drops him next to her Spider-Plushie.

"You two play nice," said MJ. "And _you_ make sure he stays."

"He's not going anywhere," said Spider-Man, gesturing to the plushie.

"I wasn't talking to him," MJ said with a smirk.

Now, Spider-Man had an offended look on his face as he looks back and forth between his girlfriend and her plushie partner.

MJ leaves her apartment and returns to the Bugle to finish what she was doing before Spider-Man called her. That just leaves Spider-Man on the couch with the infamous Agent Spider-Plushie. The plushie was three times the size of Spider-Man right now, which made Spider-Man feel like the "little brother" at the moment.

"Hey," Spider-Man said to the plushie.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Later that afternoon, Spider-Man and Spider-Plushie were playing cards. Spider-Man webs the cards to Spider-Plushie's arms so it looks like it's trying to keep him from seeing its cards (although Spider-Man already knows, for obvious reasons).

"Do you have any threes?" Spider-Man asked.

Spider-Plushie didn't respond.

"You asking me if I have any fives?" Spider-Man asked.

Spider-Man gave up his the only 5 he has. He had to draw another card from the deck. Soon enough, it was time for both to show their final cards. Spider-Plushie had two kings (one of spades, one of hearts) and two queens (one of hearts, one of diamonds). Spider-Man only had a four, a six, a nine, and a Jack.

"I can't believe it. I'm losing to a plushie. My plushie," Spider-Man complained.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

After the game, Spider-Man takes out his phone (which shrunk with him) and waits for Jameson's latest episode. He sat next to Spider-Plushie because he wanted to listen to it with him. He wanted the plushie's "opinion" on Jameson.

 _"One of the many things you can rely on my show to provide is information that authorities would rather hide from the public," Jameson started. "And I have a warning for all of you. The mysterious and villainous mercenary known as Taskmaster has escaped from Ryker's. He was last seen being chased through rooftops by Spider-Man and his sidekick Spider-Boy. How did it end? Well, Spider-Boy takes a dive into a poor woman's flower shop, destroying all of those poor little plants that would've brightened up a lot of houses. As for Spider-Man, well, he's either missing or dead. According to my sources, Taskmaster is a copycat who likes to copy moves. If Spider-Man and his protege can't handle the likes of a copycat, then what good are they in stopping criminals? Well, here's a message to that thug with the stylish mask and hoodie: You want to copy someone's greatness? Come at me! Let's see if you can match J. Jonah Jameson's integrity. I DARE YOU!"_

"What is he gonna do? Loudmouth him to submission?" Spider-Man commented. "Jameson wouldn't last five seconds against Taskmaster. Am I right, SP?"

Spider-Plushie "nodded" in response.

"Glad we agree on something," said Spider-Man.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man turns on the TV, hoping he can find a show or a movie that can entertain him until MJ returns. Just because he's small, it doesn't mean he can't operate a remote. He and Spider-Plushie shared a chocolate bar while he flipped through channels. He eats a very small piece of the chocolate bar while Spider-Plushie takes the rest.

"So, what do you and MJ like to watch?" asked Spider-Man. "Sitcoms? Romcoms? Crime dramas?"

Spider-Plushie, being a plushie, couldn't say anything.

"Superhero show it is then," Spider-Man decided.

So, the tiny hero and the plushie watch a TV show about an alien girl with powers, wears a cape, and protects Earth.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

A couple hours have passed. The sun was setting. It was getting dark. Spider-Man paced back and forth on the couch with Spider-Plushie still holding on to the chocolate bar he was supposed to be eating while they were watching TV.

"I know it's suicide for me to just go out there, SP," said Spider-Man. "But just because I'm small, it doesn't mean I'm helpless. I mean, look..."

Spider-Man hops over to the coffee table and lifts MJ's mug (which was twice his size) with just one hand.

"See?" Spider-Man said. "I mean, look at you, SP. You're small, you're soft, and you're full of plush, but MJ trusts you to be out there on the streets with her. You don't have any powers, but that cuteness and softness of yours is what helps MJ write her stories. Who's to say I can't do the same? I mean, Ant-Man fights bad guys at this size all the time. Big things come in small packages, and all that. I can do this. I know I can. Taskmaster will never see me coming. So, what you say, SP? Do you believe in me?"

No answer from the plushie.

Spider-Man shakes hands with the plushie and says, "I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

* * *

And so, Spider-Man left MJ's apartment to look for Miles and Taskmaster. He tried contacting Miles, but it went straight to voice mail. Swinging around the city was definitely a lot harder at his current size. His webs can only stretch so far. At normal size, he can make it from one city block to the next in a matter of seconds. But at his new size, it takes him a minute or three to get from one building to another.

Up ahead, a water spout. Despite being aware that he's a spider-themed hero, he actually climbed up the water spout.

"The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout. What are the odds?" Spider-Man commented.

Just like the nursery rhyme, the rain came down and washed the spider out. Spider-Man crashes into a puddle, but instead of picking himself up, he faints due to exhaustion.

"Down came the rain and washed the spider out," Spider-Man sang in a I'm-fed-up-with-the-world tone. "Why does the universe hate little ole' me? _Little_? Ha! Oh, Peter Parker. Making yourself laugh during a dire situation."

When the rain died down a bit, he climbed up the water spout again as he made his way to the roof. Just to emphasize how hard it is to get from one building to another at his size, he had to climb up a deckchair, jump over a small plant, run across a large amount of floor, and swing off the walls multiple times.

"This... is... not... going... the way... I hoped..." Spider-Man complained, panting due to exhausting. "I think... I need... a break."

And so, Spider-Man stops swinging and lands safely on the balcony outside a penthouse. He bends down, hands on his knees, and catches his breath. He's been swinging and jumping for over an hour and it was super exhausting at his size.

"Keep the faith, Spidey. Keep the faith," he said to himself to motivate himself.

Spider Sense kicked in. Someone from inside the penthouse was coming out through the balcony door. It was, to Spider-Man's surprise...

"Black Cat," he said.

It's hard not to feel intimidated right now if you were Spider-Man right now. Seeing Black Cat at his size from all the way down on the floor is terrifying. She's like a living skyscraper compared to him. Her long legs and large black boots made him feel like a real bug on the floor. The claws on her outfit made him feel squeamish, hoping he never has to look at those claws up close.

"She looks happy," Spider-Man noticed.

Black Cat was indeed happy. The small framed painting in her hand was clearly the source. Spider-Man sighs, once again annoyed by her kleptomania. She's believed to be dead by the entire city and she chooses to continue doing what she does as Black Cat instead of taking advantage of her secret identity as Felicia Hardy.

"Another night, another score," Black Cat said cheerfully. "Maybe I'll be luckier if the Spider comes."

Unbeknownst to Black Cat, Spider-Man did come. Except he's tiny and on the floor and just a couple steps away.

Speaking of steps, Black Cat begins to walk towards the balcony. Right foot first. That first step felt like a mini-earthquake to the tiny superhero. His brief struggle to stay on his feet caused him to fail to react to Black Cat's next step. Her left boot hovered right over him, casting a large shadow upon him.

"Meap again," Spider-Man squealed.

And... SQUISH!

Black Cat's boot comes down on Spider-Man. The Black Cat unknowingly crushes Spider-Man under her boot.

"Ooh, did I step on something?" Black Cat wondered, having felt something under her boot.

Black Cat lifts her left boot off the floor so she can see what she stepped on. It was something small. Something red, blue, and white.

"Did someone leave a Spider-Man action figure here? Cute," said Black Cat.

Spider-Man regains consciousness only to see two ginormous clawed fingers coming for him. Black Cat grabs him and lifts him up so she can take a closer look at him. He started squirming and pushing in an attempt to break free, to no avail.

"Oh, so it's not a toy. It's the real deal," Black Cat realized. "Hey there, Spider."

"Ah, I should've stayed still," Spider-Man complained.

"So, it seems you've gotten yourself in quite a _little_ predicament, huh, Spider?" Black Cat quipped.

"Ha, very funny," Spider-Man said sarcastically.

Spider-Man tried to pry Black Cat's fingers off him, but despite his super strength at this size, it was no use. Black Cat playfully squeezed, hurting Spider-Man a little and prompting him to stop.

"Ow," he said rather calmly in spite of the pain.

Black Cat giggles. "Oh, the things I can do to you," she said mischievously.

"Think we can wait until tomorrow? I'm kinda on a mission," said Spider-Man.

"All work and no play, huh? I'm sure Spider Jr. can handle it while we have some fun," said Black Cat.

"Felicia, I'm being serious," Spider-Man said, still squirming.

"Aw, c'mon, Spider. Just a few minutes," Black Cat pleaded. "Besides, this'll give us some real time to catch up"

Spider-Man tries to escape by swinging away. He webs a flower pot hanging on a hook of the overhang. He succeeds in breaking free from Black Cat's grip, only for Black Cat to grab his web line mid-swing. Black Cat dangles Spider-Man in front of her, smiling at him with that bad girl look on her face.

"Can't have you leaving me this time, Spider," said Black Cat.

Black Cat starts spinning the web string, wrapping Spider-Man in his own web. Like a cat, she shows her affection to Spider-Man by licking his teeny tiny masked head.

"Good thing I'm Spider-Man and not Mouse-Man," Spider-Man joked, considering the relationship between cats and mice.

* * *

Back at MJ's apartment, MJ just returned from the Daily Bugle, having finished the work she had to leave when Peter called. To her dismay, Spider-Man is nowhere to be seen. The only "person" in her apartment is Spider-Plushie.

"Son of a..." MJ stopped herself, but she's still angry.

She picks up Spider-Plushie and shoots a scolding look at him.

"You had one job, partner," MJ said, disappointed.

MJ takes her plushie's chocolate bar and takes a bite out of it as she wonders where Spider-Man could be. She calls him immediately to find out.

 _"MJ! Thank goodness," Spider-Man said, relieved._

"Oh, wrong words, Peter. More like thank goodness that I haven't found you yet," MJ said, sounding like an angry parent.

 _"Look, you can squeeze the air out of me or step on me later. Right now, I'm in trouble," said Spider-Man. "I've been kidnapped."_

"By who?" asked MJ.

 _"Felicia," Spider-Man answered. "She's taking me to her new place right now."_

"Wait, if you're with her now, shouldn't you be keeping quiet? She could hear you calling for help," said MJ.

 _"You do not wanna know where I am right now," Spider-Man said, sounding like what he's going through right now will traumatize him for life._

"I'll call Miles," said MJ.

 _"No, call Yuri or Sable," said Spider-Man. "Miles has to find Taskmaster or we'll lose him forever."_

"Or I can go myself," MJ suggested. Boastfully, she adds, "If you think I can destroy someone like Taskmaster, surely I can handle Black Cat."

 _"Ah... fine. I don't want Yuri or Sable to see me like this anyway," said Spider-Man. "Just be sure to bring your stun gun."_

"I never leave home without it," MJ said proudly. "Just tell me where you are."

* * *

Meanwhile, Spider-Boy has been tracking Taskmaster for hours. The Pym Particle data that Spider-Man sent to him can only help him so much. The data led him to Harlem. The signal he was tracking was at an empty area near a very thing alleyway. No one was there, which is a good thing. Still, Spider-Boy can't see anyone or anything here.

"There's gonna be an ambush, is there?" Spider-Boy guessed.

He was right. His Spider Sense alerted him to electric bolas coming at him from behind. He back-flips high to dodge the bolas. He webs the bolas and throws them back at whoever threw them. Well, he hit a wall.

"Uh... where is he?" Spider-Boy wondered.

"Right behind you."

Spider-Boy turns around and fires multiple web shots. Taskmaster gets webbed up, but he breaks free easily with his photogenic sword.

"Alright, plastic cheeks. Hand over the Pym tech or this'll have to get ugly," said Spider-Boy.

"Then it'll have to get ugly," said Taskmaster. "And I know your every move."

"In that case, prepare to be amazed," said Spider-Boy.

Spider-Boy web-zips himself towards Taskmaster for a punch, only for Taskmaster to use exquisite timing to kick him in the stomach. Taskmaster tries to slash him with his sword, but Spider-Boy webs himself to a safer distance away from the sword.

"Okay, let's try something different," Spider-Boy said to himself.

Spider-Boy webs Taskmaster's legs, keeping him from moving. Spidey-Boy then pulls Taskmaster towards him so he can punch him. Unfortunately, Taskmaster slugs him in the face first.

Taskmaster then throws electric bolas at his legs, preventing him from walking or running. Taskmaster grapples his neck and then pulls him closer. When the young hero was close enough, Taskmaster spin-kicks him with so much force.

"Okay, I am so considering calling you my arch-enemy," Spider-Boy complained. "Although, that would be so cool. I always wanted an arch-enemy."

"I guess Spider-Man also taught you to babble during a fight," Taskmaster commented. "Big mistake on his part."

Taskmaster tries to kill Spider-Boy with his sword, but Spider-Boy manages to dodge his swings, if barely. He even had to bend his knees and lean back so far (like in the game "How Low Can You Go?") as the sword was only a centimeter away from cutting his nose off. But Spider-Boy failed to dodge Taskmaster's next kick, which hit him in the nose.

"You need new tricks, kid," said Taskmaster.

"As a matter of fact, I have a new trick," said Spider-Boy. "You won't even know what hit you."

To Taskmaster's shock, Spider-Boy just vanished. It's as if he turned invisible or something. One thing's for sure, Taskmaster can't see him anywhere. He looked around in case of a surprise attack, but he still can't see him. He looked behind a dumpster, at the walls, and at the rooftops, but still no sign of Spider-Boy.

"Hey, paper face," Spider-Boy taunted.

That voice came from behind Taskmaster. Taskmaster turned around, only to he hit by an invisible punch, as if he's been punched by a ghost. Immediately after that, he gets hit with an invisible kick to the back. Invisible punches hit Taskmaster from head to stomach without him seeing where they're coming.

Then Spider-Boy decided to reveal himself.

"Surprise!" Spider-Boy said.

Spider-Boy punches Taskmaster hard in the face, knocking him down.

"Didn't even know what hit you, didn't ya?" Spider-Boy teased.

Spider-Boy tries using his bio-electrokinetic touch, but immediately discovered Taskmaster had insulated his suit from electricity, keeping him almost completely safe. Taskmaster kicks Spider-Boy down.

"Darn it," Spider-Boy cursed.

"I admit, you surprised me," said Taskmaster. "Here you go, kid."

Taskmaster gives Spider-Boy a growing disk.

"You're just giving it to me? Why?" asked Spider-Boy.

"Clearly, I have more to learn," said Taskmaster. "And I can't learn more if you're dead. We'll be seeing again some day, kid."

Taskmaster disappears in smoke, leaving Spider-Boy with the key to restoring his mentor to normal size.

"I think it's official. I have an arch-nemesis. A formidable one, at that," Spider-Boy commented. "And thank you, MJ. This optical camouflage thing works like a dream."

* * *

Black Cat returned to her new place. Since no one, not even Hammerhead or the Maggie, know of her secret identity as Felicia Hardy, she is able to use her unmasked persona to still live in the city. New clothes. New job. New apartment. Same old game. A lucrative game, she would say. Hey, whatever pays the rent, right? Spider-Man of all people should understand the difficulties of rent.

"Home sweet home, Spider," said Black Cat.

Black Cat takes Spider-Man out of... wherever in her person she was hiding him in... and sees that he has passed out from the travel.

She giggles and says, "Aw, looks like someone couldn't handle big ole' me."

Black Cat puts Spider-Man down on her pillow while she freshens up in the bathroom. After she was finished, she returned to her bed only to see that Spider-Man is gone and he has broken out of his own webbing. As it turns out, he faked having "passed out" in order to escape.

"Clever little spider," Black Cat said menacingly, although impressed.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man managed to make it to the roof of Black Cat's apartment building. He had to stop and rest after so much running, jumping, and swinging. He currently stands near the edge of the roof, preparing to make his getaway. All he needs is more air in his lungs and control over his breathing. All the running, jumping, and swinging he did all night, getting tired seemed easy for him tonight.

"Almost eaten by my girlfriend... stepped on like a bug by my ex... can tonight get any worse?" Spider-Man complained.

Spider Sense tingling! Spider-Man turns around as come face to face with... a spider. A large spider, in fact. Slightly bigger than the 2-inch superhero. With its menacing multiple eyes, long hair legs, and sharp fangs, it could scare any man and child who would lay eyes upon it.

"Sure, why not?" Spider-Man said sarcastically.

The spider roared at Spider-Man, causing him to step back a little.

"Whoa, buddy," Spider-Man said calmly. "Look, I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm one of you." He gestured to the spider symbol on his suit. "I mean, sure, spider cannibalism exists, but you're not a black widow or a female..."

The spider roared again.

"Why do I keep offending the women species?" Spider-Man complained.

The spider attacks. It tried to sink its pointy legs into Spider-Man, but he dodges the spider's quick attacks. It tried biting him, but he dodges that attack as well with very quick movements. Spider-Man ran away, but the spider jumps over him and lands right in front of him, stopping him in his tracks.

"C'mon, Pete. This is the ultimate boss fight of your superhero career. Don't act like a baby," Spider-Man said to himself. "Alright, Mrs. Roars-a-Lot. You want a piece of me? Well, come get it." He said with the _bring it_ hand gesture.

And so, the real fight begins. Spider-Man continues to dodge the spider's attacks (be it using her legs or her fangs), but this time, he was not trying to run away. He was on the defensive because he is trying to find the right time to strike. The spider was very quick, so being smart is as important as being quick for this one. After back-flipping over its incoming leg, Spider-Man punches the spider in the face.

"I'm sorry, but you left me no choice. I swore to never hit a lady, but it's you or me," Spider-Man said dramatically.

The spider continues trying to either hit or bite Spider-Man, but he proves himself way quicker than an average spider, even at this size. As he dodged, he placed well-timed punches and kicks to her face. As much as he hated hitting a girl, he knew he had to get offensive with this particular lady. An uppercut here. A not-so-gentle left hook there. A quick jab over here. An overhand over there. A spin kick right here. A roundhouse kick right there.

The spider goes for another bite, but Spider-Man successfully dodges her again. Not only did he dodge her bite but he did so sliding underneath her. As soon as he was right behind her, he makes his move.

He webs her derriere and begins spinning in circles, winding up and dragging her in circles in mid-air. He lets go of the web line and the spider gets thrown to the top of the rooftop shed. It seemed almost unfazed about being thrown from a very far distance. Maybe its the adhesives on its legs cushioning its impact.

"So, are we still gonna do this, ma'am?" Spider-Man asked, hoping his opponent says no.

The spider just decided to get back to business and started weaving a web to climb down the building. Apparently, it doesn't want to come back for revenge. _Good_ , Spider-Man thought. The fight was weird enough for him. He thought it would the battle to end all battles, a tale to tell to all. Instead, it's something he never wants to bring up at any time in the future.

"Okay, good fight. Good fight," he said to his departing foe.

Then out of nowhere, a pigeon swooped down on Spider-Man like a hawk. Thanks to his Spider Sense, he managed to dodge the pigeon's sharp beak by jumping off the edge and back on the rooftop floor. The pigeon turns back around and swoops down again.

"Pigeons," Spider-Man muttered with contempt. "If I hadn't just faced Mamma Spider today, I would say pigeons are my fiercest enemies."

The pigeon descends towards him and attempts to peck him. Spider-Man dodges the pecks with little trouble. He had to flick the pigeon on the beak so it would go away. He didn't want to hurt the pigeon, hence the tiny flick, but he had no choice.

"Sorry, pal, but you picked a bad night to mess with me," said Spider-Man. "Now, c'mon! Bring it!"

Spider-Man gets into his fighting stance, preparing for another fight against the wildlife of New York.

Fortunately, the pigeon leaves him, flying away back to the blue-black skies above. Unfortunately, it wasn't because of him. It was because it saw someone coming. That someone pounced on Spider-Man and grabbed him before he could react. Even more unfortunately, it was the one who Spider-Man was running from earlier. Black Cat. She held him tightly in her hand so he couldn't escape. Spider-Man wiggled and squirmed, but all he freed was one arm. Black Cat tightened her grip further, causing Spider-Man to whine in pain.

"Felicia, please, let me go," Spider-Man pleaded.

"Aw, but we haven't had fun yet," Black Cat said, sounding like a dejected little girl.

"Ah, never mind," Spider-Man gave up. "Hey, you got a little something in your eye."

With his free arm, Spider-Man shoots a web shot at Black Cat's eye. This caused her to loosen her grip on the tiny superhero. He breaks free from her hand and back-flips down to the ground.

After getting the webbing out of her eye, Black Cat says, "I guess we're just gonna have fun the old-fashioned way. David vs. Goliath."

"Well, I guess it was inevitable I get into a boss fight with a giant," Spider-Man commented.

"I'll try not to squish you, Spider," Black Cat said playfully.

"I'm already scared," Spider-Man said honestly. "But if I win, you let me go. Okay?"

Black Cat smirks as she makes the first move. Her giant hand swoops down on Spider-Man really fast. He manages to jump high to avoid getting grabbed again. When Black Cat's hand hit the floor, Spider-Man quickly webs her fingers to keep her hand glued to the floor. Unfortunately, she broke out of his tiny webs without any trouble.

"Oh, come on, Spider. You gotta try harder than that," Black Cat teased.

Black Cat goes for a sweeping low kick. Spider-Man had to jump higher this time to avoid getting kicked. Unfortunately, he couldn't dodge the incoming hand that swatted him out of the air like a fly. Spider-Man lands hard with a slightly aching shoulder. Black Cat raises her boot high over him and lower it at high speed. Spider-Man jumps to the right to avoid getting stepped on... again.

"Did you just try to squish me?" Spider-Man asked angrily.

Black Cat smiles in an unapologetic manner as she makes another move. She tries to grab him again, but he dodges her hand again by jumping high. This time, he lands on the top of her hand and runs up her arm, making his way towards her face. Black Cat attempts to flick him off her arm, but his Spider Sense helps him avoid the giant fingers. Black Cat changes tactic and raises her arm high in a swift motion, causing Spider-Man to tumble down her arm. He was heading towards her wide open mouth. Wait, what?

"WHOA!" Spider-Man screamed.

Before Spider-Man could fall right into the cat's cavernous maw, Spider-Man fires two web shots at Black Cat's forearm, allowing him to slingshot away from her mouth and back on the ground.

"Did you just try to eat me?!" Spider-Man shouted, frustrated.

"No, I was just trying to give you a kiss," Black Cat lied flirtatiously.

"I might as well have designed a Mouse Man suit for this," Spider-Man muttered.

Spider-Man's muttering gave him no time to dodge Black Cat's baby kick, which, at his size, was strong enough to send him flying across the roof until he slammed into a concrete wall. Despite suffering even more pain, Spider-Man leaps off the ground and fires an Impact Web shot at Black Cat. Black Cat dodges the shot by leaning to the side and then performs a cartwheel. Timing Spider-Man's landing perfectly, Black Cat baby-kicks him high up, giving her the opportunity to grab him and imprison him in her hand.

"Give up yet, Spider?" Black Cat asked with a smirk.

"Uh, what do you say we call it a draw?" Spider-Man begged.

"I say, I haven't played hard enough," said Black Cat.

Black Cat opens her hand and blows Spider-Man down to the ground. The red-and-blue-suited superhero was thinking about giving up, but then he decided there was no way he was going to surrender himself to Black Cat.

"Not again," he said to himself with determination.

The following sequence might as well be a slow motion action scene in a movie. Black Cat goes for another low kick, but Spider-Man dodges it by ducking real low. Black Cat tries grabbing him with both hands, but Spider-Man avoids her with a charge jump. Spider-Man fires a web line at Black Cat, who catches it with her hand. She flips him up high in the air and waits for him to come back down.

Spider-Man gets into a swan dive position as he falls straight towards Black Cat. She tries to grab him out of the air, but he quickly fires a Concussive Blast at her face, stunning her for a while. Spider-Man web-zips himself towards her shoulder and then point launches to a free fall behind her. While in free fall, he fires multiple web shots at both her shoulders. Pulling as hard as he can, he drags her down and she falls on her back. He had to dive out of the way to avoid getting crushed when she fell.

Spider-Man hops on top of Black Cat's forehead and looks at her in the eye (the right eye, to be specific).

"Please tell me you give up," Spider-Man pleaded.

"Well, I must admit, you fight good for a pipsqueak," said Black Cat.

"And you'd made a cute but terrifying movie giant," Spider-Man complimented.

"Cute, huh?" Black Cat teased.

"Uh..."

The sound of the rooftop access door opening captured the attention of the two. It was MJ, holding her stun gun like it was an actual gun, with two hands and all. She looked ready to fight, only to see that Black Cat has already been beaten... and Spider-Man was on her forehead.

"Am I interrupting something?" MJ teased suspiciously.

"Uh, no. We were just about done here," said Spider-Man.

"I was on my way to rescue you, but it looks like you got this handled," said MJ, still sounding like a suspicious and jealous girlfriend. "Did you have fun?"

"Oh, we had plenty of fun," Black Cat answered.

Spider-Man quickly jumps off Black Cat and walks back to MJ to avoid any more awkwardness.

"I guess our special night ends now, Spider," Black Cat said. "Can't wait for next time."

"Didn't he tell you that he needed help with his size issue?" asked MJ.

"Oh, I did. She didn't care as long as she has a Spider-Man toy to play with," said Spider-Man.

"Well, can't blame a girl for missing her precious little spider?" Black Cat replied.

"You know it, girl," MJ agreed.

"Well, aren't you two getting friendly?" Spider-Man noticed. "Maybe you two can set up a girl's night out? Or you can do it tonight?"

"Yeah, no thanks," said MJ.

MJ picks up Spider-Man and leaves. Black Cat waves goodbye to her ex... in a flirtatious way, of course. Spider-Man waves back casually, much to MJ's annoyance.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

MJ takes the elevator down to the ground floor so they can get out of the building and go home. Spider-Man sat on MJ's shoulder as she walked. He couldn't help but notice that she was not happy.

"Look, I'm sorry," Spider-Man apologized. "I just thought that if Ant-Man can do heroics at this size..."

"Pete, I am angry," MJ interrupted. "But I'm proud of you. As much as I wanted to do the saving... again... I'm just glad you're safe."

"Hey, at least it was just Felicia and not Screwball," said Spider-Man. "Felicia would just keep me to herself unless someone stops her, while Screwball would expose my shrinking case via her channel."

"What exactly did she do to you?" MJ asked curiously. "You sounded strange on the phone, like she did something that'll give you nightmares."

"I'd rather not say... just in case you might do it to me too," said Spider-Man.

"Just so you know, for sneaking out on me, you're staying this size for the rest of the night," said MJ. "Miles can handle the next three hours of patrol on his own."

Spider-Man gets a call on his phone. As if on cue, it was Miles. MJ told him to put it on speakerphone.

"Hey, Miles," Spider-Man answered.

 _"Hey, Peter," Miles greeted. "I got one growing disc from Taskmaster. And get this, I beat him. Well, sort of. But I had him."_

"Really? Nice," said Spider-Man.

"Way to go, Miles," said MJ.

 _"Is MJ with you?" Miles asked, having heard her voice. "Hey, MJ. Thanks for the optical camouflage tip. It really helped."_

"No problem," MJ replied happily. "Just leave the disk at my place and get back to patrol. I'll take care of Peter's problem."

 _"Can you at least send a picture?" asked Miles._

"Sure," said Spider-Man. "See ya tomorrow, Miles."

MJ takes out her phone and takes a selfie with the miniature Spider-Man. She immediately sends the picture to Miles. His reply was "So cool. Thanks." The couple can tell that Miles wishes he can try out the shrinking stuff one day.

"Lock him in a room with Felicia for one day and he'll change his mind about this whole shrinking stuff," Spider-Man commented.

Then Spider-Man got a call. It was... Scott Lang? He answered the call.

"Hey, Scottie," Spider-Man greeted.

 _"Hey, only my best friend calls me Scottie," said Scott. "Listen, Hank just found out that some of Pym Tech's shrinking tech is missing. I just wanted to know if you would know anything about it."_

"Ah, let's just say I do," Spider-Man said cryptically.

 _"You got shrunk, didn't you?" Scott guessed._

"I... I just... yeah," Spider-Man confirmed. "But I'm fine. I got one of your growing disks and I'll be back to normal soon."

 _"And what were you doing with my shrinking tech?" asked Scott._

"Actually, it's not me. It's A.I.M.," Spider-Man informed.

 _"The beekeeper science organization?" Scott asked humorously._

"Someone from the inside must've stolen the tech, and Taskmaster, who I'm sure you've heard of in the news, stole it from them," said Spider-Man.

 _"What would A.I.M. want with Hank's tech?" Scott wondered._

"A mystery for another day, Scottie," said Spider-Man.

 _"Hey, stop that," Scott said, annoyed. "You know what, never mind. Just make sure Hank's tech is out of dangerous hands. He's already given me enough grief for tinkering with his tech once. It was once!"_

And that ends the call. Let's just say Spider-Man and Ant-Man have established a good friendship. Spidey calls him "Scottie" against his orders, but they like and respect each other nonetheless.

"Well, I guess I'll be bunking with Agent Spider-Plushie for the night," said Spider-Man.

"Actually... I was thinking of keep you close to me at bedtime," MJ teased.

"Wait... you're not asking me to... with you... are you... I... not that... you would... at this size... but won't you squish me in your sleep?" Spider-Man babbled, surprised and nervous.

MJ giggled in amusement.

 **Now, it's The End. Boy, was this fun! One of my favorite chapters so far. I just like shrinking adventures. Seen a lot of it on TV and they either make me laugh or cringe, depends on how well the shrinking adventure is written and executed.**

 **So, what do you think? Please give me your full, honest opinion (but no requests, please).**

 **Notes:**

 **\- Spider-Man getting sucked into MJ's mouth... I just thought it would be funny. Besides, doesn't that kind of stuff happen in some shrinking adventures on TV?**

 **\- It's obvious that the title of the chapter is based on the nursery rhyme "Itsy Bitsy Spider". And yeah, I included a "up the water spout" moment with Spider-Man. Cheesy, but I just thought it would be funny.**

 **\- Just in case someone forgot, Miles thanked MJ for the optical camouflage tip because of Chapter 9 ("What If MJ Got Bitten?"). MJ had a dream where she had Miles' powers and she wanted to talk about the camouflage thing with him. The payoff just came in this chapter.**


	15. Another Day in New York, Episode 3

**This is the third time I've used the title "Another Day in New York" and that is because I have decided to make this a mini-series in this one-shot collection.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it. (But, please, no requests)**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: Mitsuki Shigamatsu, Guest, Redwall, Spideysquad, CG**

 ** _To guest (lowercase "g")_: I still wanna keep this as a "Spidey and Friends" story.**

 ** _To Guest (guessing where Black Cat put the tiny Spider-Man)_: To answer your guess on where in her person Black Cat put the miniaturized Spider-Man... I do remember when a Justice League TV show did something like that with The Atom and Wonder Woman. I thought it was supposed to be a kid's show. Inappropriate it may be, it was actually kinda hilarious.**

 ** _To Dcarus_: Is that a request? Because if it is, I don't know if I want to do it (or at all). I don't know if I even want to add Gwen Stacy here. I mean, I could just to inject something extra to the Peter/MJ romance, but... oh, this is gonna be hard to think about.**

 ** _To Jason Hunter_: Well, well, well. We meet again, Hunter. First of all, I've said multiple times in the past few chapters that I don't want requests anymore (I mean, what's the point of doing my own thing if I have to keep satisfying requests). Second, if you want a "what if" story where Black Cat actually has a son, there's this Spider-Man story called "Along came a Spiderling" by Jaykid1. As for your other questions, I'd rather keep Yuri and Sable in the dark about Spider-Man's identity, only because their relationships with Spider-Man is what makes their stories fun to write. As for if Silver Sable will go on a date with Spider-Man, well, I'm not sure, but I'm far from done with SilverSpider.**

 ** _To Guest2099_: I don't know. The "characters watching their own story" kind of fic is always fun, but it always violates some kind of copyright rule. I don't wanna be victim to that.**

 ** _To Redwall_: Actually, yes, I will be writing a Christmas-themed chapter for the holidays.**

 ** _To Guest (What if Black Cat really had a son?)_: As I told Jason Hunter, if you want a "what if" story where Black Cat really has a son, there's a Spider-Man story called "Along came a Spiderling" by Jaykid1.**

 ** _To CG_: (1) Lol, well Black Cat did do _something_ to Spider-Man, but I intentionally left it to be guessed. (2) I don't think so, because even if MJ didn't alert Silver Sable, she really needed to get out of the penthouse before Norman or anyone else walked in. (3) That's more of a question from a viewer's perspective, not a character's. Although, of course, Peter is still guilty about creating Doctor Octopus, but that's just about it. (4) Okay, you're thinking too big. Also, I told one reviewer that including Spider-Geddon in this story is a tall, tall, TALL order. As for the time-skip, that would be for a different purpose.**

Slow day in the criminal side of things today. And that's a good thing. Not every day in Manhattan has to have dozens of crimes. There has got to be days where people can actually walk the streets peacefully without worrying about getting mugged or kidnapped. Still, that doesn't stop Spider-Man from enjoying the day by swinging around the city trying out old and new air tricks. Who says Spider-Man only spends his days fighting crime? He's just a New Yorker like everyone else. He can put on the suit and mask and just have a normal day like the rest.

It wouldn't be a normal day if there was no new episode of _Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson_ screaming into the ears of the public. As he does once in a while, the man under the spider mask decided to be the latest featured caller on Jameson's talk show.

Perching on top of Avengers Tower, Spider-Man prepares to speak to the infamous talk show host about himself. He takes his mask off halfway so his voice doesn't sound muffled.

 _"Welcome to Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson, alerting you to the threats you don't even know about, including that tights-wearing, web-slinging, glory-hogging menace, Spider-Man," Jameson started. "Our latest caller would like to discuss that very issue with us. Caller, care to give us your name?"_

"Uh, it's Pe... P... Andrew... Andrew Mag-Maguire," Peter answered.

 _"Okay, Maguire, tell me. What makes you think Spider-Man deserves this ludicrous label, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man?" asked Jameson._

"Well, he's friendly. He lives our neighborhood. And he swings around the city helping people in need, whether it's bank robbery hostages or mugging victims," said Peter.

 _"To draw attention to himself and steal the glory from our fine officers of the law," Jameson said bluntly._

"I'm pretty sure that's not his intention. Sure, he loves the attention. Who wouldn't? But he's made it clear for almost nine years that the people's safety is his top priority, including the officers of the law," said Peter. "I mean, didn't he save three officers who were kidnapped by the Demons last week?"

 _"Ah, yes. The Demons. Six months after their debut, they're still all around our city, supposedly fighting Spider-Man," Jameson said in a tone that suggests a conspiracy theory. "I suppose you're gonna tell me that I'm prejudiced for thinking there's a conspiracy behind this..."_

"More like an irrational bigmouth," Peter muttered.

 _"I heard that!" Jameson shouted. "Listen, Maguire. Spider-Man has his moments, but most of them are filled with thousands of dollars worth of property damage, compromising civilian safety, and creating gang wars. Yet, the people still reward him with their praise."_

"For good reason," said Peter. "I mean, a lot of heroes never take the time to just get to know the people. But Spider-Man, he does more than just save people. He interacts with them, socializes with them. I mean, he's as active in face-to-face bonding as he is in social media bonding. Why do you think he always looks out for the little guy? I mean, he's a New Yorker just like us and he knows how the people of this city live their lives."

 _"A true New Yorker speaks his mind and shows his face when he does. Not Spider-Man, Maguire! He speaks his mind from a mask just so no one would know just what a delusional, demented individual he really is," said Jameson. "I mean, swinging around the city and showing off... that in itself is disrespectful."_

"Hey, wouldn't we all want to swing around the city if we could do what he could do?" asked Peter.

 _"It appear you are too far gone, Mr. Maguire," Jameson said, giving up trying to reason with the caller._

"A therapist might so you're too far gone," Peter argued.

 _"JARED, GET HIM OFF MY SHOW!" Jameson shouted._

And so that ends the guest appearance of "Andrew Maguire" on Jameson's talk show. Spider-Man can only roll his eyes and silently express sympathy for the loudmouthed talk show host's unpaid intern. He can still remember when Jameson shouted at Jared to fire and rehire himself with a very loud warning about how close he is to losing his job.

"If I was as rich as Tony Stark, I'd pay Jared monthly under Jameson's nose," said Spider-Man. "But I'm not as rich as Stark, so..."

* * *

Once again, Silver Sable is trying to see the beauty of Manhattan from a civilian's perspective. Wearing a shiny silver parka, black tights, and silver high heels ( _How do women tolerate this kind of infernal footwear_ , she thought), Silver journeys to Morningside Park for yet another casual stroll. It truly is a refreshing experience to be able to walk around Manhattan like a regular person after spending most of her life as the head of a para-military organization. Helicopter interiors, office buildings, and top secret laboratories have been normal to her because of the life she chose.

That's why seeing green trees, blue ponds, and singing birds in the sky are mostly new to her.

"Thirty-six years of my life and I never took the time to appreciate the basic allures of the world," Silver said to herself. "No one should live like I have, royalty or commoner."

Silver stops near the Morningside Pond. She sees some kids throwing stones into the pond, so Silver decides to do the same. She picks up a stone and tries out something she's heard of about this particular activity. With a carefully positioned grip on the stone and the use of the right angle, Silver's throw ends up making the stone bounce on the water three times before it sank.

Then someone nearby whistled, sounding impressed. This someone is a man, probably late-20s or early-30s, who is rather handsome and dressed like someone trying to impress a woman, black jacket and basketball shows and all.

"Silver Sablinova, I presume. The name's Evan," the man introduced himself. "So, what's a girl like you doing at a place like this?"

"Enjoying the scenery," Silver answered.

"Well, it could get better," Evan said in an obviously flirtatious manner.

"I doubt it," Silver said.

Evan laughed a little and said, "You don't get out a lot, don't you?"

"No, but that has changed since my stay," said Silver.

"Well, you should go out more. Never know what you might see, what you'll discover... who you'll meet," Evan said slyly. "Surely, a lovely princess like you could use the _company_."

Evan was about to flirtatiously put his arm around Silver, until a web shot pulled his arm away from her. It was Spider-Man, hanging upside-down from a tree. Just the mere sight of him could trigger a smile on Silver's face.

"Hands to yourself, creep," said Spider-Man.

"I was just being friendly, web head," Evan said through his teeth.

"Too friendly, pal," said Spider-Man.

"What, no one can have her but you?" Evan accused.

"Whoa, you got the wrong idea, buddy," said Spider-Man. "She and I are just good friends."

Spider-Man pulls Evan further away from Silver and even webs his arm to a tree. After watching Evan try and fail to get the webbing off his arm for thirty seconds, Spider-Man decides to let him go.

"Get out of here, pal. Go find a girl else who actually likes to be creeped up on," said Spider-Man.

Evan leaves. This just leaves Silver with the still-hanging-upside-down Spider-Man. She walks closer and stops just inches from his face. He was startled by how close she came and tried to keep his distance.

"You did not have to do that. I saw it coming and I was ready to make my move," said Silver.

"Well, too slow," Spider-Man teased. "So, I see you're still exploring the wonders of New York."

"As a child, I never had the luxury of exploring the outside world with the purpose of appreciating Mother Nature," said Silver. "It's mostly becoming self-defense lessons and being accustomed to my country's traditions. After my parents were slaughtered, I focused only on maintaining their legacy."

"Well, I'm sure they'd be proud of you," said Spider-Man.

"I can only hope so," said Silver. "But this is more about me than them, to be honest. Making myself feel better with my choices."

"Hey, you should pop over to this little place called Mick's some time. They got _two_ pretty good cooks who can make you the best Italian you can ask for," Spider-Man said, secretly bragging about his own cooking skills. "Oh, and best fries in the city."

Spidey and Silver then heard oohs that sound like teasing. A group of six students - three boys, three girls - from Midtown High were teasing the princess and the superhero. Clearly, they're SilverSpider shippers, taking pictures of them together and just daring them to try something romantic in front of them.

"C'mon, Spidey. Kiss her," one of the girls dared him.

"You know you wanna," one of the boys teased.

"Whoa, now you got the wrong idea, miss," Spider-Man said as he leaned away from Silver.

The teenagers decided to leave them alone, all the while still giggling together. Spider-Man sighs, annoyed. He now wishes that everyone knows Black Cat is still alive, because at least the SpiderCat shippers were not so invasive. SilverSpider shippers, on the other hand...

"I never understood the people's obsessive desire to us as mates," said Silver.

"You'd be surprised how normal shipping is," said Spider-Man.

* * *

Spider-Man decided to head to Mick's as Peter Parker just to see if Silver would actually try it out. His shift doesn't start for another two hours, but he was okay with starting early. Not much crime happening today anyway. When he came in through the front doors, he ended up seeing someone quite familiar.

A young woman with blue hair, but her face definitely reminded him of someone.

He decided to talk to her.

"Hey, I know I'm gonna sound like a desperate loser, but... haven't we met before?" Peter asked.

"Depends. Did you lose your wallet when we met?" The woman replied.

Yup, it's her. Her voice confirms it. He knows that voice all too well. But since they're in a public place, he decided to pretend that he doesn't know her or that they haven't seen each other in forever.

"So, what brings you to New York?" asked Peter.

"New sights. New people. New opportunities," the woman answered. "What about you, handsome? You from around here?"

"Grew up in Queens," said Peter. "And I have a girlfriend... if you didn't know that already?"

"Then why are you talking to me? Bored of your GF?" The woman teased.

"Well... no... I just... there's something familiar about you. I can't quite put my finger on it," said Peter.

"Hey, Pete!"

That was Stan. He had the boy's apron in hand, asking him to start working now. That means Peter would have to save this conversation for later.

"You work here?" asked the woman.

"Well, it pays well," said Peter. "You want some ketchup with those fries?"

"The fries are good on their own, thanks," said the woman. "Well, go on, chef. Put on you little apron and kill the ladies with your spatula skills."

"Hey, if you want, I could make you the best lasagna you'll ever taste," said Peter. "Anyway, my name's Peter, by the way. Not like you care."

Peter turns around and leaves the woman alone.

"I'm Felicia."

"Huh?" Peter gasped.

Peter turns his face back to the table, only to see that Felicia is no longer there. She must've left. She didn't even finish her fries.

"Ex-girlfriend of yours, Pete?" Stan asked.

"You could... say that," Peter replied awkwardly.

* * *

After a five-hour shift, Peter heads to F.E.A.S.T. School day was over so that means Miles should be there. And he was. He's currently helping fix the TV, which somehow broke again. The elder Ernie watched impatiently as Miles worked as fast and carefully as he can.

"Hey, Miles," Peter greeted.

"Hey, Peter," Miles greeted. "Hey, can you help me with this?"

"What's the problem?" asked Peter.

"Some circuits fried," said Miles.

"Oh, don't worry. I've handled that kind of stuff a million times," said Peter.

With Peter's help, Miles fixed the TV faster than he expected. Ernie and the other homeless people go back to enjoying the repaired TV while Peter and Miles talk in the kitchen.

"Slow day today?" asked Miles.

"Hey, that's a good thing. Less crime means a safer city," said Peter.

"Hey, have you seen MJ lately?" asked Miles. "She was supposed to be here an hour ago, but she hasn't showed."

"My guess, chasing a story," said Peter.

"Maybe, but wouldn't she have told me, or did she just forget?" Miles wondered.

"Miles," someone called.

That someone is Dr. Morgan Michaels. After the Devil's Breath epidemic, he resigned from Oscorp and decided to work at F.E.A.S.T. as the head doctor. He also serves as the assistant manager of Gloria.

"Oh, hey, Peter," Dr. Michaels greeted upon seeing the older boy in the room.

"Hi, Dr. Michaels," Peter greeted. "So, how's the new job feel?"

"Better than the old one. In here, I feel like what I do matters," said Dr. Michaels. "Just like your aunt says, _when you help someone, you help everyone_."

"I'm sure she'd be proud to know you're carrying on with her legacy," said Peter.

"Everyone here is doing just that, Peter," said Dr. Michaels. "Miles, the delivery truck just came. We got a lot of boxes filled with food and medicine that really need to be organized," said Dr. Michaels.

"On it," said Miles. "Catch up with you later, Peter."

Peter decides to stay in the kitchen and help. Aunt May would hate it that he's trying to cook here at F.E.A.S.T., but Peter's only trying to help. He's getting better, though. Stan has really taught him well. He can still be a bit of a disaster in the kitchen, though.

His phone ringed. Yuri was calling. Pete answered after making sure no one is near the kitchen.

"Hello?"

 _"Spider-Man, Fritz von Meyer escaped from The Raft," Yuri reported._

"Our not-friendly neighborhood Nazi, huh? Man, you really gotta tighten security at that so-called supermax prison," Peter commented.

 _"We're trying," said Yuri. "When he stole his robotic bees back, one of the guards heard him mention something about Avengers Tower."_

"Well, he's out of luck. There's no Avenger there for him to sting," Peter quipped.

 _"No, but he might destroy the tower and kill hundreds in the process just to prove a point," said Yuri._

"Don't worry, Yuri. I'll _bee_ right there," said Peter.

 _"Ugh," Yuri groaned, irritated._

* * *

Fritz von Meyer, a.k.a. Swarm, walks towards Avengers Tower with his _swarm_ of robotic bees at his control. He controls them through a communication device he had surgically placed in his head. It was deactivated when he was arrested, but he reactivated it when he broke out. The bees will do whatever he thinks of them to do. Among them is destroy some cars and trees just to announce his return.

"Citizens of New York, I have returned to deliver a message," Swarm started. "With the destruction of the Avengers' monument, you will all fear my wrath. And..."

Swarm was interrupted when he get webbed in the face. Spider-Man stands in between him and the tower, announcing his presence.

"Okay, Hitler Wanna- _bee_ , time to put you back in a nice little hive I call The Raft," said Spider-Man.

"You and your incessant puns!" Swarm cursed.

Swarm sends half of his bee army towards Spider-Man. Spider-Man starts swinging to avoid getting stung. You do not wanna get stung by Swarm's bees, that's for sure. The bees' electrically-charged titanium stingers will equal quick deaths to their victims.

"Good thing I added more special webs to my web shooters before I showed up," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man uses plenty of Impact Webs, Web Bombs, and Concussive Blasts to keep the bees at bay. Unfortunately, Swarm uses his other bees to free those trapped by his Impact Webs and Web Bombs.

"Okay, time to think of a new plan," said Spider-Man. "Maybe... WHOA!"

Some bees managed to get in front of Spider-Man, preparing to sting him. Fortunately, a web shot out of nowhere knocks them far away from the wall crawler. That web shot came from Miles, wearing his homemade Spider-Boy suit.

"You could've bothered to call me," said Spider-Boy.

"I would've," Spider-Man replied.

"So, this is Swarm, huh?" Spider-Boy asked, looking down at the villain below.

"Yup," said Spider-Man.

Swarm sends two-thirds of his robotic bees at the two heroes while he continues towards Avengers Tower with the other third of his bee army. Spider-Man and Spider-Boy had to swing from building to building to avoid getting stung. But they had to stay within the area to stay close to Swarm.

"We need to short out the controlling chip in his head. The bees can't work without it," said Spider-Man.

"Don't worry. I got this," said Spider-Boy.

Spider-Boy swings towards Swarm with his fingers charged and ready for shocking. Unfortunately, Swarm protects himself with a wall of bees. Their backs are turned and their stingers are reading for stinging. Spider-Boy had to web a street light just to get away from the wall. But the bees that made up the wall chased him anyway.

"Okay, not good," said Spider-Boy.

Spider-Boy fired multiple Electric Webs to short out the bees. Unfortunately, they were programmed to recover quickly from electric attacks.

"Any more ideas?" asked Spider-Boy.

Before Spider-Man could answer, someone sent him a text message. It said: " _To your left._ "

Spider-Man looks to his left and sees a familiar-looking device taped to a wall next to a slightly open window. It was one of Black Cat's EMP grenades. That could work.

"Miles, distract him for a minute," Spider-Man answered. "Just don't get stung."

"No problem," said Spider-Boy.

Spider-Boy covers Avengers Tower's front door with a wall of webbing so Swarm can focus on him and not the tower.

"Hey, Swarm! I'm Spider-Boy. You wanna _bee_ friends?" Spider-Boy taunted.

Now, all of Swarm's attention is on Spider-Boy. He sends his entire bee army at him. Spider-Boy uses more Electric Webs on the bees as he swings away from them. He had to lure them away from Spider-Man, however, just so Swarm can't see him.

"Hold still, you runt!" Swarm shouted.

"Hey, Buzz von Honey-er!" Spider-Man called.

Swarm turns around to see Spider-Man swinging towards him... with none of his bees close enough to protect him in time. Spider-Man uppercuts Swarm in the face and then throws the EMP at him. It latches on to the villain's chest and detonates.

Swarm screams in pain as the EMP shorts out the chip in his brain. The bees chasing Spider-Boy all "died" and fell. Now the road and streets are full of nonfunctional robotic bees.

The EMP's detonation may have hurt Swarm in the head. Fortunately, Swarm lived. Unfortunately, his hair is a mess. It's all frizzy and on ends. Not to mention he can't move because the shorting out of the chip in his brain may have shocked the part of his brain that controls his motor functions.

"You should be thanking me. I just gave you a _buzz_ cut," Spider-Man joked.

"Nrrr!" Swarm growled. Apparently, his mouth still works.

"Ooh, sorry. Didn't mean to _bee_ -little you," Spider-Man joked.

"Silence!" Swarm shouted.

A pair of electrically-charged fingers zapped Swarm in the neck, tasing him and knocking him out. It was Spider-Boy.

"Boy, that must _sting_ ," Spider-Boy joked. "Was that good?"

"Eh, 5/10," said Spider-Man.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Yuri and her fellow officers showed up to take Swarm away. They even brought vacuum cleaners for his robotic bees. As Swarm was stuffed into the back of a police van, Spider-Man decided to say goodbye.

"Don't worry, von Meyer. I'll make sure they feed you more Vitamin _Bee_ ," said Spider-Man.

"We'll make sure to destroy the bees this time," Yuri promised.

"Best news I've heard all day," said Spider-Man.

"Where's your sidekick?" asked Yuri, noticing Spider-Boy is not around.

"Oh, he had to get back to his real job right away," said Spider-Man.

"This is gonna be one hell of a mess to clean up," Yuri said, looking at the property damage that Swarm caused.

"I'm sure their cars are insured... I hope," said Spider-Man.

"Well, good job as always," said Yuri.

"Spider-Cop always gets the job done, Chief," said Spider- _Cop_.

Yuri rolls her eyes as she heads back to her car.

"The EMP won't last for long, by the way. So, _bee_ careful with him," said Spider-Man.

Yuri rolls her eyes again as she closes the door and drives away.

As Spider-Man watches Yuri drive away, one robotic bee seemed to be starting up. It's eyes glowed. It's stinger emitted electricity. It's metal antennas moved. Just as the bee was about to return to its master...

SQUASH!

The bee was smashed to piece, all because it was stepped on by someone who saw the bee come to life. It was MJ, having showed up to see her boyfriend.

"Just as fragile as a real bee," MJ commented.

Spider-Man sees MJ just as he was about to swing away. She silently tells him to meet her at the roof of the building she was pointing at. She also showed him her broken phone, which explained why she didn't just call.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man swings up to the roof of the building MJ pointed at. It took a while for MJ to get there since the building had no elevator. She had to take the stairs. She makes it to the top half-winded.

"I think I need to work out more," said MJ.

"Well, I can call Coach Watkins from Midtown High and asks him to train you on weekends," Spider-Man suggested.

"No, Coach Watkins never liked me," said MJ.

"So, what do you want to talk about? And what happened to your phone?" asked Spider-Man.

"Demons," MJ answered.

"Seriously, how many people did Li corrupt?" Spider-Man complained. "Are you... hurt?"

"The only casualties are my phone and camera," said MJ. "Besides that, I'm fine."

"What were you doing searching for Demons?" asked Spider-Man.

"Swarm's escape. It was them," MJ revealed.

"First, Shocker. And now, Swarm? Jeez. These guys really need to up their game," said Spider-Man. "Oh, wait. Never mind. I think I prefer they release Shocker again instead of Octavius or Li. Wait... if they got into The Raft, why didn't they free Li?"

"That's just it. Their infiltrator freed Swarm and then killed himself without even freeing Li," said MJ. "Which means they got something even bigger planned. I took a picture of their plans, but unfortunately..." She showed him her broken camera. "All I managed to see are plans for a breakout."

"Another Raft breakout? How original," Spider-Man commented.

"Except that it's just The Raft this time. Ryker's is not part of their plan," said MJ. "I would've found out how they were planning on doing it, but then I got caught. They must've moved to a new place and took all their plans with them."

"Gotta tell Yuri. Tell her to beef up the security in The Raft," said Spider-Man. "But what about the infiltrator? He frees Swarm and then kills himself. Not exactly helpful."

"Unless he had a second task he carried out before he killed himself," MJ guessed.

"Li," Spider-Man said somberly. "Why won't he give up this vendetta against Norman?"

"Have you tried talking to him?" asked MJ.

"No," Spider-Man said grimly.

"Okay, how about we have a quiet dinner at Mick's? Relax for a while," MJ suggested. "We'll let Yuri handle The Raft. Right now, let's just have some of New York's best fries."

"Sounds good to me," said Spider-Man.

MJ holds on to Spider-Man tightly as he swings towards Mick's for dinner.

 **I keep telling myself "this is supposed to be a one-shot collection." Yet, what MJ just found out sounds like something of a cliffhanger you find in a full story. Well, let's not get too excited about it. Until I'm ready for what's coming for The Raft, this is still gonna stay a Spidey and Friends story.**

 **So, what do you think? Don't be afraid to give me your full, honest opinion. Please no requests.**

 **Notes:**

 **\- If you're a guest reviewer who used the name K2-Black-Panther, I hope you noticed that I applied your suggestion (from your Chapter 7 review) of having someone fall in love with Silver Sable just for cute humor. (To anyone else reading this, it was a suggestion for ONE MOMENT, not a whole chapter, which is why I accepted it)**

 **\- A "setting up for bigger things" thing may have ruined this chapter's purpose of being just another day in New York, but... ah, at least it's still another day in New York.**

 **\- Felicia with blue hair. That's a nod to The Amazing Spider-Man 2 video game, where Peter meets with who he doesn't know is Felicia... until she told him her name is Felicia.**

 **\- Since Insomniac likes to shake things up with the comic book characters they use, I thought I'd do the same. Instead of making Swarm have control over actual bees, I just made him a tech guy who uses robotic bees. But if that's been done before, let me know.**

 **\- Oh, and by the way, remember when Jameson mentioned "NAZIS MADE OF BEES"? Yeah, that's Swarm.**


	16. Stark Contrast

**Before we start, let me just say... R.I.P. Stan Lee. You will be greatly missed.**

 **Okay, if we can keep our eyes dry, let's continue. Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **A/N: AFTER YOU'RE DONE READING, PLEASE READ THE NOTES AT THE BOTTOM BEFORE LEAVING A REVIEW. CONSIDERING WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO READ HERE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE MYSELF CLEAR.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for the most recent reviews: TheAdamBomb505, VORtal28, gammaxmen80, Mitsuki Shigamatsu, Knox, Redwall, josephguy217, K2-Black-Panther, Spideysquad**

 ** _To TheAdamBomb505_: Well, I try to make the love interest dynamics work the best way I can. Thanks for sharing your opinion on that. Honestly, even though I'm at odds with Black Cat as a love interest, it's hard not to feel bad for her.**

 ** _To Redwall_: Be strong. Never ever give up on Marvel.**

 _ **To Jason Hunter**_ **: He truly will be missed.**

 ** _To K2-Black-Panther_: I read what you wished could've happened in the shrinking chapter. That's a little too R-rated for my liking, plus it's inappropriate. Although, I am considering an Episode 2 of "Itsy Bitsy Spider". Oh, and I'm glad you loved the bee puns.**

 ** _To gammaxemn80 and Guest_: Just wait and see.**

 ** _To Spideysquad_: I left it on my notes at the bottom of the last chapter. Blue-haired Felicia is a reference to The Amazing Spider-Man 2 video game, where there's a scene where Peter Parker meets with a blue-haired woman whose name is Felicia. As for why she's at Mick's... best fries in the city. By the way, thanks for commenting on the puns. Appreciate it a lot.**

 ** _To Dcarus_: Who's Peni Parker?**

It may seem like just another day in New York, but this particular day in New York is about to be more than ordinary because of some big news. It's all over several news channels on television, many newspaper websites on the internet, newspapers, podcasts, and talk shows. One specific talk show delivering the news is none other than _Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson_. And just in case you're wondering, it has nothing to do with Spider-Man. Believe it or not, only 96% of Jameson's talk show is about Spider-Man. When he's not hating on Spider-Man, he's either calling out injustice, corruption, crimes against humanity, delivering his own opinion on other hot news topics, or constantly defending himself against the Mac Gargan, a.k.a. Scorpion.

 _"This is Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson, alerting you to the threats that may be hiding under your beds," Jameson started. "Today, we got some big news that has created quite a buzz around New York. No, it's not about Spider-Man. It's about another superhero. His name, which I'm sure you all already know by now, is Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man. He has recently bought Fisk Tower. That's right, folks. Tony Stark has legally seized the biggest prize of Wilson Fisk's fallen empire. And he's throwing a special gala tonight like all the rich do when they feel like it. However, as you are aware, Wilson Fisk's men are still scattered around the city, guarding his remaining weapons and property. Don't you think it would be better if Stark waited until AFTER all of Fisk's thugs have been arrested to buy Fisk Tower? He's throwing a party at their boss's palace and he thinks it's safe? Sure, maybe he'll provide security, but mark my words, folks. Come to that party at your own risk, which is why I'm not going! Jameson out!"_

You heard it here, ladies and germs. Tony Stark is back in town to re-open Fisk Tower, which is now the brand new Stark Tower (Avengers Tower used to be Stark Tower, until the Avengers needed a base of operations and Tony's giant monument of his ego was the best place to set it up in).

Among the people who were excited for tonight's gala are Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson. Being a former apprentice of Tony Stark, and being an adult now, of course Peter was invited. And, of course, he was allowed to bring a plus one.

The two are just chilling in the red head's apartment, talking about the big even coming tonight.

"You excited for tonight, MJ?" Peter asked.

"A gala thrown by Tony Stark? Why wouldn't I be?" MJ replied. "If you can get me an exclusive, that is."

"Well... I'll try," said Peter. "You already have a dress for tonight?"

"Bought it yesterday," MJ answered. "What about you?"

"I think I'll just use my old prom tux from high school," said Peter.

"Does that old thing even still fit?" MJ laughed.

"I wore that tux _after_ I got bitten, remember?" Peter said.

"Well, let's just hope you don't stand out," MJ said, silently hoping he does stand out in the old tux.

Before Peter could respond to MJ's obvious silent hope, there was a knock on the door. MJ opens the door and sees Miles. He looked like he was nervous about something, clearly bothered by something.

"Hey, Miles," MJ greeted. "Is something wrong?"

"Well, I would have done this over the phone, but... I thought it would be better to talk to you and Pete about this in person," said Miles.

Miles comes in so he can talk to Peter and MJ about something important.

"So, what do you need?" asked Peter.

"Well, homecoming's tonight," said Miles. "And I... don't have a date."

"But you do have someone in mind," said MJ. "I can tell."

Miles takes out his phone and shows Peter and MJ the social media profile of one of the girls at his school. She's about Miles' age, has long raven black hair, and her skin was unusually pale.

"She's cute," MJ commented.

"Her name's Janice Connolly," said Miles. "She's a science enthusiast; she loves chemistry. And she's quite the athlete. She's strong, she's fast, and she can fight."

"Whoa, really?" asked Peter.

"There was this one time when this dude was hitting on her. She told him to go away, but he wouldn't. So, she flipped him upside his head. It was awesome," said Miles. "When I asked her where she learned that move, she said she took self-defense classes."

"Sounds like your type of girl," said MJ.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't exactly planning on asking her out. I thought that I didn't have a chance," said Miles. "But the dance is tonight and she doesn't have a date. She's said no to every guy who tried to ask her out. So, I thought that... well... I thought I could..."

"Go for it then," said MJ.

"Yeah, you sound like you really like her," said Peter.

"But I've never asked a girl out before," said Miles. "I thought maybe I could tell her I'm Spider-Boy, just so I can feel more confident about myself and, you know, maybe she'll see how cool I am. But... you did warn me about the dangers of exposing my secret identity."

"Miles, the best way to ask a girl out is to just be yourself," said MJ. "It worked for Peter."

"Uh... I-I-I... it-it was... I g-guess it did," Peter stuttered.

MJ giggled and said, "See?"

"So, I just walk up to her and ask? Just like that?" Miles asked.

"Just like that," MJ nodded.

"C'mon, Miles. You've taken on Shocker and Taskmaster. I'm sure you can handle asking a girl out," said Peter.

"Is that what you told yourself before you asked me out?" MJ wondered suspiciously.

"Um... well... kinda," Peter admitted awkwardly.

Miles takes a few deep breaths and says, "Okay. I can do this. I'm gonna go out there. I'm gonna find Janice. And I'm gonna ask her out to the dance. Wish me luck."

"Good luck," said Peter.

"Same here," said MJ.

* * *

Knowing Janice, Miles heads to the Manhattan Mall, where Janice frequents on weekends with her friends. Going to the mall was never really one of her interests. It's just that she has three friends that like to go to the mall. She just reluctantly tagged along only because she liked hanging out with them. They had just left the mall, talking about homecoming that is coming tonight, only for them to be ambushed by three armed thugs in an alley. One held a gun, the other held a crowbar, and the third one held a baseball bat.

"Wallets. Jewelry. Now!" Thug #1 demanded, aiming his gun at them.

Fortunately for the girls, Spider-Boy was close by. He was right on top of them. Before he could make a move, Janice stepped forward bravely.

"Ooh, looks like we got a brave one here," said Thug #1.

"Leave us alone," Janice insisted.

"Do you want a bullet to the head, missy?" Thug #1 threatened.

"Just take our bags and go," said Janice, surrendering her purse.

"Ha, well, give it up then," said Thug #1.

Janice slowly gives Thug #1 her purse. Just as Spider-Boy was about to make a move, Janice grabs Thug #1's arm, disarms him, and flips him to the ground, much like that one time she flipped a guy who tried to hit on her.

"Whoa!" Spider-Boy exclaimed, wowed.

Thug #2 was about to hit Janice with his crowbar, but she back-kicked him in the stomach. Thug #3 swings his bat at her, but she just blocks the swing with her arm. She swipes the bat and hits Thug #3 in the face.

"Janice, that was awesome!" Anya Corazon cheered. "Those self-defense classes really work, huh?"

"If you pay attention," said Janice.

Thug #1, still conscious, crawls and reaches for his gun. He aims it at Janice.

"No!" Spider-Boy cried.

Spider-Boy jumps down and quickly fires a web shot at Thug #1. Too late. Thug #1 fired and Janice was hit in the back. The web shot comes in a split second later and webs Thug #1's hand to the pavement. Janice, meanwhile, falls down due to the bullet to her back. As soon as he landed, Spider-Boy rushes over to his crush.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Spider-Boy cried. "Jani... miss! C'mon, stay with me. Stay with me."

To the shock of Spider-Boy and the other girls, Janice was okay. She reaches for her back and pulls out the bullet, which barely pierced her skin.

"Whoa!" Everyone uttered.

"Janice, are you... are you okay?" Anya asked.

"Yeah, I'm... I'm fine," Janice said, feeling shocked herself.

"Uh, you just took a bullet to the back," said Spider-Boy. "You're not even bleeding."

"Never been shot before," said Janice. "Just lucky, I guess."

"Well, I'm, uh, I'm-I'm-I'm glad you're okay, miss," Spider-Boy said awkwardly, feeling nervous around his crush.

Janice chuckles uncontrollably, feeling a little starstruck meeting Spider-Boy. "Well, thanks, Spider-Boy" she said.

Spider-Boy and Janice stared at each other for an unusually long time. Spider-Boy reminded himself that he's still in costume so he has to leave. He just swung away without a word.

"Ooh, I think he likes you," Anya teased.

"No way. He's probably, like, in his 20s or something," said Janice, blushing.

"Jan!"

That was Miles, coming from around the corner. He ran towards Janice with a concerned look on his face. Playing pretend or not, he actually still feels concerned, especially after what he witnessed.

"Are you okay?" He asked. "I saw what happened. And was that Spider-Boy? Oh, and... are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Miles. I'm fine," Janice concerned. "Hey, you weren't following me, weren't you?"

"Uh, well, I was... coming to see you," Miles admitted. "I mean, everyone knows you like to come to the mall on the weekends. So, here I am." After clearing throat and building up courage, he asked, "Uh, Jan, I just... I wanted to ask if... if maybe you would... go to homecoming... with me?"

"You're asking me to be your date to homecoming?" Janice asked, seemingly flattered.

"Well, if you want to," said Miles.

"Sure, I would love to," Janice answered.

"Great," Miles said. "So, um, I'll have my mom pick you up at your place at 7. Is that okay?"

"As long as we're not late," said Janice.

"Cool. See you then," said Miles.

Miles left so he can tell his mom that he has a date tonight. Janice's friends, meanwhile, started teasing her by oohing.

"Ooh, I always knew you had a crush on Miles," said one of the girls.

"Shut up," Janice said.

"Wait just a minute, J," said Anya. "You took a bullet to the back and it did nothing. Do you know what this means? Girl, you have superpowers!"

"I'd like to say that's ridiculous, but..." Janice looked at the dented bullet in her hand, still shocked and confused. "Maybe my dad had powers or something. My mom never told me who he was."

Meanwhile, around the corner, Miles celebrated his success with a fist pump, quietly screaming "yes." He then sighed with relief. His success meant he no longer felt nervous. However, that was quickly replaced with nervousness about tonight.

* * *

The night is here. Tony Stark's gala celebrating the opening of the brand new Stark Tower. The richest people of the city have arrived to enjoy a pleasant evening. Well, not all the attendants were rich. Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson were there, but only because the former knew the big man himself. At least they're dressed for the occasion so they don't stand out.

For one thing, Peter's high school tux still fits actually.

As for MJ, she wore a bright red dress that compliments her hair. Speaking of her hair, she actually lets it down for tonight. If you thought she already looked beautiful in a ponytail and portion of her hair half-covering her right eye, boy, are you in for a surprise.

"Have I told you how great you look?" Peter asked.

"Only, like, three times tonight," said MJ.

"Sorry, it's just... you've been wearing the ponytail for so long, it's kinda weird seeing you like this," said Peter. "W-W-Weird in a good way, of course."

"Believe me, I'd like to keep my hair this way, but it always gets in the way when I'm on the field," said MJ.

Peter and MJ arrive at the giant room outside of what was once Fisk's office (which had guarded by tight security). It was big enough to be a ballroom, after all. So many of New York's wealthy were there, all dressed up nicely. Peter and MJ couldn't believe it. Here they are. At a billionaire's party.

"Well, well, if it isn't the famous Peter Parker."

Those words came from the man coming towards the young couple. Tony Stark. A man who is nearly in his 50s, yet he still looks same as he did 15 years ago. Anyone who has kept a 15-year-old magazine with Tony Stark on the cover can prove it. And just like 15 years ago, he is still sporting that famous goatee. It's become quite the trademark, to be honest.

"Glad to finally see you in a grownups' party," said Tony.

"I'm glad too," said Peter.

The mentor and the mentee shake hands. It has been a long time since they saw each other, what with Tony always leaving New York for business and all.

"Oh, Mr. Stark, this is my girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson," Peter introduced.

"Yeah, I've read her byline. Parker here says you're quite the journalist extraordinaire," said Tony. "Nice to finally meet you in person."

MJ and Tony shake hands. MJ, for some reason, squeezed Tony's hand like she's trying to break it.

"I never got a chance to thank you for your help in the Devil's Breath situation," MJ said, sounding quite mad despite the seemingly sweet tone in her voice.

"Uh, I wasn't here," Tony said, confused.

"Oops, my bad. I must be mistaken," MJ said sarcastically, still sounding mad behind that fake sweet tone. "It's a pity Spider-Man had to face the crisis alone. I actually saw getting hospitalized at F.E.A.S.T. He was very hurt. Almost dead, even. Could've used your help."

"Tony."

Calling Tony's name is his lovely wife, Pepper Potts (or is it Pepper Stark? Pepper Potts-Stark?). To say she too defied age like Tony would be an understatement. She looked stunning tonight and it's not just because of the lovely teal dress she was wearing. If there was another thing Tony and Peter have in common, both their lovers are redheads.

"Oh, hey, Peter," Pepper greeted.

"Nice to see you again, Ms. Potts," said Peter.

Pepper turns back to her husband and says, "Tony, it's time for you to make a speech."

"I'll get right on it," said Tony.

"Do you mind if I could get an interview later, Mr. Stark?" MJ asked. "I mean, Pete told you, didn't he?"

"He most certainly did," said Tony. "But first, speech."

Tony and Pepper walk away so Tony can give his speech. Peter, meanwhile, shoots a "Really?" look at his girlfriend.

"Did you have to talk to him like that?" Peter asked.

"I'm just expressing my gratitude for when he did nothing while you broke over fourteen bones fighting the Sinister Six," MJ said with fake sweetness.

Peter rolls his eyes and decides to drop this topic. Pepper gives Tony a microphone he can use to speak clearly to the people. Everyone stopped chattering and looked at the billionaire inventor, waiting for him to say something to them.

"Good evening to all," Tony started. "Now, there was a time when this tower was a monument of the ego and corruption of a big man. And by _big_ , I meant _big_."

Most of the crowd chuckled at the joke.

"But those days are over," Tony continued. "Stark Industries now owns this tower and it'll be a monument like every other monument that I own. A sign of a brighter future. Now, I know I'm not in New York. I'm sure a lot of you, Jameson included..."

Cue more chuckles.

"Have criticized me and my fellow Avengers for missing out the Devil's Breath crisis... sorry about that, by the way," Tony said, looking directly at MJ when he did.

MJ raised an eyebrow in response.

"But that doesn't change the goal of Stark Industries. You all call me a futurist and that is exactly what I intend to be to the world," said Tony. "Whether I'm flying around in a really cool suit of armor or tinkering in a lab, I'm always around." He raises a glass and says, "So, a toast to the new Stark Tower and to a brighter future for New York."

Everyone who is holding a glass raises them, celebrating the opening of the new Stark Tower.

* * *

Meanwhile, Miles was going to a special even of his own. Homecoming. His date tonight is Janice Connolly. Miles' mom, Rio, drove the two to Miles' school where homecoming was taking place. Miles and Janice can see the smile on her face through the rear view mirror. Clearly, Rio is so proud that her son has a date to the dance.

"So, Miles, care to tell me how you and Janice met?" asked Rio.

"Oh, uh, remember that diorama I made last year as a science project? My partner, that was Janice," said Miles.

"And, Janice, how did it feel like working with Miles?" asked Rio.

"Well, he's... he's really nice and very resourceful," Janice said awkwardly. "Did he tell you that the diorama was actually a near-perfect copy of the original one that he broke?"

"Hey, that was an accident," said Miles.

"Yeah, right," Janice teased.

As the two playfully bickered in the backseat, Rio chuckled a little. Janice seems really nice. Well, she must be if Miles really wanted to ask her out to this dance. She only wishes Jefferson could be here to see his son off on his first date. He'd probably take Miles and Janice to the school in his cop car while putting on a dad-cop act to playfully intimidate his son's date.

* * *

Tony Stark's party is going on just smoothly. The orchestra played some music to liven the party a bit more. Everyone was sipping champagne. Tony was chatting with his colleagues. Pepper was checking on security. As for Peter and MJ, they were among the few couples dancing on the dance floor to the slow music. Not a bad way to start the party, right?

This was their first dance, however. Since Peter waited until college to ask MJ out, they never got to dance at a high school dance. At least they're dancing now.

"You ever wish you could travel back in time to high school and ask me out to homecoming?" MJ asked.

"Every day," Peter answered. "But this works just as well."

"Just be sure I get that interview. Otherwise, I may just break up with you," MJ joked threateningly.

"Five more minutes," Peter said, chuckling.

"How do you think Miles is doing?" MJ asked.

"I'm sure he's doing better than I ever did in high school," said Peter.

"You sell yourself too short too much, you know that?" MJ replied.

"Hey, I want someone who likes me as Peter Parker, not Spider-Man," said Peter.

"Even before you were Spider-Man, you always got it. You just didn't know it," said MJ.

"And it takes dating you to finally know that," Peter smiled.

Peter and MJ continued to slow-dance. They could go on all night... if MJ wasn't so eager for that Tony Stark exclusive. Unfortunately, Peter had to stop dancing and drag MJ away when he saw someone in the crowd that seemed to him a cause for alarm. He hides in the back of a big group of people with MJ.

"Pete, what the hell?" MJ asked.

"Sable's here," Peter whispered.

MJ looks around until she too sees the Princess of Symkaria herself has attended the party. Instead of her usual silver trench coat, silver top, and silver everything, she was wearing a glittering silver dress with a slit.

"Weird seeing her in a dress," MJ commented.

"Don't let her see you," Peter said, hiding her behind a crowd again.

"What's the matter, Pete? So what if Sabel's here? What's the big deal?" asked MJ.

"MJ, you know that Sable knows that you're dating Spider-Man," Peter said quietly. "If she sees you here with me, she'll find out that _I_ am Spider-Man."

"Or think I'm cheating on Spider-Man with you," MJ joked.

"MJ, this is serious," Peter whisper-shouted. "We can't let Sable see us, no matter what. She can see you. She can see me. She just can't see us together."

"So, what if Sable knows who you are? She respects the hell out of you and she's really into you, you know. I'm sure she won't tell anyone," said MJ.

"I can't take that chance," said Peter. "Just go and get that exclusive with Mr. Stark. I'm gonna, uh, try and stay out of her way."

"And mine?" MJ questioned.

"MJ, please," Peter pleaded.

"Okay, okay. I'll make sure I stay away from you," MJ promised. "But we're finishing this dance later."

Peter and MJ split up and walk off in different directions like they don't know each other. MJ sees that Tony is with Pepper at the moment, so she thought now is the time to get that interview.

"Excuse me? Mr. Stark? You ready for that interview yet?" MJ asked.

"Actually, why don't you talk to Pepper?" Tony suggested. "I gotta go find your boyfriend."

Tony walks off, leaving his wife alone with the Daily Bugle's associate editor. The first few seconds of the interview was just full of silence.

"So, you're Peter's girlfriend?" asked Pepper.

"It's a long, long story," said MJ.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Peter was on his way to get himself a drink. As he walked, he kept his eye on Silver, who was talking to Norman Osborn. _Will those two ever be done with each other_ , Peter wondered. Because Peter wasn't looking where he was going, he bumped into someone. That someone turns out to be...

"Stan?" Peter was surprised.

"Oh, hey there, Peter," Stan greeted.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?" asked Peter. "Scratch that. _How_ did you even get in here?"

"I come to these kinds of parties all the time," said Stan. "What about you? How did you get in here?"

"I interned at Stark Industries many years ago," Peter answered.

"Well, welcome to the big boy's party, Peter," said Stan. "Oh, I just remembered. I gotta get my wife another glass. Have fun."

Peter was about to join Stan when Tony approached him. The billionaire superhero wanted to have a little chat with the younger superhero. Tony took them to Fisk's office (which is now Tony's office) so they can have some privacy.

"Listen, kid, I'm really sorry about your Aunt May," Tony started. "What you did... I can only imagine how hard it was."

"It was," Peter said sadly. "But I couldn't be selfish. I have the responsibility to do what I must for this city. I could've used the antiserum on Aunt May, but I didn't. It still hurts."

"Believe me, kid. It'll always hurt, but the best we can do is move forward," said Tony. "It's just... I hate to be you. You've lost a lot, yet I can still see you on TV cracking jokes while fighting crime."

"Well, I haven't lost everything. I have MJ. I'm training the next Spider-Man. I still have much to live for," said Peter.

"Just to be clear, you're not bitter about me not showing up for the whole Devil's Breath thing, are you?" asked Tony.

"That's just MJ," said Peter. "Don't worry. I understand. If you and the Avengers were too busy in the West Coast, I get it. Besides, Devil's Breath pretty much a reminder why I didn't want to be an Avenger."

"You want to look out for the little guy," Tony remembered. "Proud of you, kid."

"Thanks," said Peter. "But if it makes you feel better, I still kept the suits you made for me."

"Yeah, I saw the Throwback Thursday pictures," said Tony.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

MJ had just finished her interview and casual chat with Pepper. She then decided to sip some champagne as she waited for Peter to come back from Tony's office. Well, she would have to wait a little longer because Silver walked towards her direction to get a drink, therefore spotting her.

"Ms. Watson," Silver greeted.

"Your highness," MJ greeted formally and awkwardly.

"Am I to assume you are trespassing on this party?" Silver guessed.

"No, Spider-Man talked Tony Stark into letting me here," said MJ. "They knew each other, you know."

"Yes, I have read the stories of the alien invasion six years ago," said Silver. "Makes me wonder why he would stay here in New York instead of traveling the world with the Avengers."

"New York is his home. He'd hate to leave it," said MJ. "Sure, there was once a time when he would've dropped everything to be an Avenger, but he's grown out that phase."

"Is he not coming tonight?" Silver asked.

"He doesn't want to stand out. I mean, look, everyone here is wearing either a suit or a dress. Him showing up here in tights is gonna draw too much attention," said MJ.

"Ms. Watson, I am aware you do not want Spider-Man anywhere near me," said Silver.

"What? Wh-Why I would want that? You two are... good friends," MJ said nervously.

"Ms. Watson, you do not have to have to feel threatened by me," said Silver. "I understand that you and Spider-Man value each other more than anything else."

"Then why do you keep making moves on him?" MJ asked.

"I beg your pardon?" Silver replied, not understanding the idiom.

"I meant, why do you keep kissing him in front of me?" MJ clarified.

"Ms. Watson, I am a complete stranger to this feeling. I only wanted to understand it, to know why it dominates me so," said Silver. "I am aware my displays of affection towards him are dishonorable, but I do not wish to get in between you."

MJ can only stay silent as she processes everything Silver is saying. Peter is right. She is a strange lady. It's hard to read her. Silver knew that MJ is dating Spider-Man, yet she kissed him in front of MJ twice and now she's saying that she is of no threat to their love.

"Well, uh, have a nice night," MJ said awkwardly.

MJ pours herself another glass of champagne before walking away from the princess. Never in her entire life has MJ been this intimidated by anyone in a one-on-one conversation. And it's not that Silver Sable is a tough talker, but because she's just... strange.

"ALRIGHT! EVERYBODY ON THE GROUND!"

That loud voice came from a man who pulled out a gun and started shooting at the ceiling to scare everyone. As all the guests got down on the ground, twelve more men armed with rifles came in. One of them took Pepper as hostage.

"Don't move, Mrs. Stark," he said.

Fortunately, Tony and Peter exited the office, only to have guns pointed at them as well. They raised their hands in response.

"Lookie here. It's Mr. Stark," said the man who shot the ceiling.

"Yeah, I'm Mr. Stark," Tony said sarcastically. "Who are you?"

"We work for the owner of this building," said the armed man.

"I don't remember hiring a trigger-happy maintenance crew," Tony joked.

"The _real_ owner of this building," the armed man clarified.

"Fisk," Peter realized.

"I guess Jameson isn't full of it all the time," Tony commented.

"You'd be surprised just how many times he actually makes a good point," said Peter.

"Now, we're gonna make this simple, Mr. Billionaire. Give the boss back his property or you're wife joins your mommy and daddy," Fisk Thug #1 threatened.

"Hey, I bought this place legally. No gambling involved. No foul play. Just a bunch of signed papers and hundreds of millions of dollars of payment," said Tony.

"Call the bank now or else!" Fisk Thug #1 threatened.

Fisk Thug #2 kept his gun pressed against Pepper's head. Tony was tempted to make a move, but he knew it was too dangerous. One thing's for sure, he's done joking around, according to the angry look on his face.

"If you even think about trying to use one of your fancy suits, forget it. My guy here will shoot her way before your armor can fly in here," said Fisk Thug #1.

"Yeah, true," Tony agreed. "Except..."

Unexpectedly, Tony's right becomes covered in a metal hand that seemed to have emerged from his sleeve. This metal hand fired a repulsor beam at Fisk Thug #2, knocking him away from Pepper.

"I'm already wearing one of my fancy suits," Tony smiled.

Tony rips off his party suit, revealing that he has been wearing Mark XLVIII this whole time. The armor proceeded to completely armor him, including covering his face with an iron mask. The crowd oohed and ahhed as they waited for Iron Man to get into action.

Iron Man turns to Peter and whispers, "Kid, when I give the signal, call your friend in tights."

Peter nodded. Iron Man raised his hands, preparing to fire again. Half of Fisk's thugs aimed their guns at Iron Man, while the other half kept their guns trained on the civilians.

" _Sir, you may want to deploy your mini-thrusters,_ " J.A.R.V.I.S. suggested.

"Already one step ahead of you, J.A.R.V.I.S.," Iron Man said.

Iron Man slowly lowers his hands, preparing to use his mini-thrusters but only when the Fisk Thugs think he's giving up. What he didn't expect was someone in the crowd engaging the thugs.

Silver slowly reaches for what looked like her energy pistols hidden beneath her dress. As it turns out, that slit on her dress was to make it easy for her to reach for her pistols, which she brought just in case. She tumbles out from behind the crowd and fires at all the thugs in sight, while making sure she doesn't hurt any civilians.

This helped make it easier for Iron Man. Instead of unleashing his mini-thrusters, he just simply fires repulsor blasts at the thugs.

"Okay, did not see that coming," said Iron Man. "Hey, kid. That's your..."

Iron Man looks to his right only to see that Peter is no longer standing there.

"Cue." Iron Man finished his sentence anyway.

Five seconds later, Spider-Man (wearing the Stark Suit) came swinging in through the window, shattering it. Before he finishes his superhero landing, he deploys his Spider-Bro, using it to blast and stun three Fisk Thugs. He finishes the landing by web-zip-kicking one Fisk Thug in the face.

"Am I late to the party, Mr. Stark?" Spider-Man started.

"Hey, I just bought this place," Iron Man said, gesturing to the hole in the window.

"I'm sure you can afford that," said Spider-Man.

"Okay, everyone out!" Iron Man ordered.

"Follow me!" MJ shouted.

While the Fisk Thugs were busy with Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Silver Sable, MJ led all the guests, including Pepper, out of the ballroom. Bullets went flying, webs were shot, energy pistols were fired, and repulsor blasts were dished out.

"I hope you're having a better evening than we are, Miles," said MJ.

* * *

Meanwhile...

While Tony Stark's big party was filled with guns and webs, Miles' homecoming dance was going pretty well. It had just reached to the slow dance part of the night. This was the first time both Miles and Janice ever danced with anyone. As they got into a ballroom dancing position and slow-danced, they exchanged awkward smiles and awkward chuckles.

"So, um... bullet-proof skin, huh? How cool is that?" Miles said casually.

"It's pretty cool," said Janice. "But you can't tell anyone, okay?"

"Hey, if a bullet bounces off you in public, that's up to you to explain," Miles said, promising not to say a word.

"Thanks, Miles," said Janice.

"Hey, Jan, uh... I know this may not be the right time, but... how about tomorrow we, well, hang out?" Miles asked nervously. "You know, just the two of us. Like a date. I mean, a date out there, not a dance date like now."

Janice giggles and says, "Sure, I'd like to hang out."

* * *

Back at not-Fisk Tower...

Some of the guests were still stuck in the ballroom because some of the Fisk Thugs were firing at them. Among the guests trapped in the ballroom are Stan and his wife. They were just about to be shot by one thugs when, fortunately, Spider-Man used an Impact Web shot to web him to the floor in an instant.

"You're safe now," said Spider-Man.

"I guess one guy can make a difference," Stan said. "Thank you, Spider-Man."

"You can thank me by running out that door in panic," Spider-Man replied.

Stan, his wife, and their fellow guests ran for the door. Little did anyone know that MJ stayed to watch the fight, peeking from the doorway. Although, she had to run away when errant bullets almost hit her.

"Okay, bad idea, MJ," MJ said to herself.

Thirteen Fisk Thugs crashed the party. So far, seven of them are either dead (thanks to Silver), unconscious, or webbed up. That means there are only six left. The three decided to take on two each.

Spider-Man was dodging bullets fired by Fisk Thugs #8 and #9. While swinging in the air, he webs their rifles away from them and then hits them both in the faces with said rifles.

"Hey, Tweedledee and Tweedledum!" Spider-Man taunted. "Tweedle on this!"

Spider-Man uses a Trip Mine to web Fisk Thugs #8 and #9 together, wrapping both of them in the same web trap.

Iron Man slowly flies towards Fisk Thugs #10 and #11, both whom were just mindlessly firing at him despite the fact that so many of their bullets have bounced off the billionaire's armor and didn't even leave a dent. After landing, he grabs both their guns and then just destroys them with repulsor blasts.

"Iron, remember?" Iron Man said humorously.

Iron Man bops Fisk Thug #10 and knocks him out. He takes out Fisk Thug #11 with a simple repuslor blast.

"Tell your boss Egghead that he's paying for all this damage," said Iron Man.

Silver engages Fisk Thugs #12 and #13 up close. She grabs Fisk Thug #12's arm, elbows him in the face, knees him in the stomach, and then spin-slams him to the floor. She shoots Fisk Thug #13 in the leg and then unleashes a high kick to the face to knock him out.

"Silver Sable in a dress. Silver Sable fighting in a dress. Two things I never thought I'd see in my life," said Spider-Man. "You'd kill a man literally and figuratively."

"Like you?" Silver teased.

"Wow, your sense of humor has grown," Spider-Man replied, wowed.

"If you two can stop flirting, we got a mess to clean up," said Iron Man.

"For the record, she's the one flirting with me. I'm just complimenting her sense of humor in a purely platonic way," Spider-Man said defensively.

"That better be what Mary Jane thinks," Iron Man replied.

"By the way, can I say it's awesome teaming up again?" Spider-Man said.

"Yeah. I can say it is," Iron Man agreed. "The suit still fits, I see?"

"Hey, you built it with an auto-fit function. Of course, it fits," said Spider-Man.

* * *

The authorities arrive to arrest Fisk's thugs. Pepper and MJ are still inside the tower with Tony and Pepper. MJ really wanted that interview. Tony agreed, but first, he wanted one more word with Peter. Once again, Pepper and MJ have a casual chat while the boys have their own private conversation in the distance.

"Great job back there, kid," said Tony.

"Always an honor," said Peter.

"You ever thinking about accepting the Avenger invite soon?" asked Tony.

"Uh, no, not yet," said Peter. "I got so much going on here in New York. It's home. But hey, if aliens ever invade Earth again, I'll be there. I'll even bring the Iron Spider with me."

Tony was silent for a moment. His smile was pretty much a way of saying he was so proud. He's seen Peter grow from the teenage fanboy/superhero to a grown man who has truly understood the life of a superhero.

"Your Aunt May would be proud," said Tony.

"Yeah, she would," Peter agreed.

From the distance, MJ and Pepper can see just how buddy-buddy Tony and Peter are being. They both smiled, happy that the two of them have forged such a connection beyond mentor and mentee. Once upon a time, Tony really treated Peter like an irresponsible child, only because Peter was kinda like that back then. But now, Tony treats Peter much like a son he feels so proud of.

"I think your husband wants to adopt my boyfriend," said MJ.

"Well, anyone would be lucky to have Peter as a son," said Pepper. "You two thinking about having kids?"

"Too son, but... maybe," said MJ.

* * *

 _The next day..._

Peter arrived at Mick's for his morning shift. What he didn't expect to find is Stan's resignation. He quickly heads to the kitchen to find Stan, who had just finished packing up. Stan can see that Peter didn't take the news of his resignation well.

"You're quitting?" Peter asked.

"I'm retiring," said Stan.

"But why?" asked Peter.

Stan answered. "Peter, when I was at Stark's party last night, my wife and I saw our lives flashing before our eyes. It made me remind myself that I'm, well, old. I've fought old age to continue working in this place, but I believe now is the time I really slow down and truly enjoy the rest of my days. My wife and I are going to L.A. She's always wanted to go there."

"Who's gonna be taking over your position here?" asked Peter.

"You are," Stan answered.

"M-Me?" Peter was surprised. "I mean, not that I can't handle it, but... I might... I need you, Stan."

"You can take care of yourself, Peter. I know it," Stan said positively. "Oh, and one more thing. Thank you for saving me and my wife."

"Uh, when?" Peter asked, pretending to act confused.

"Last night, of course," Stan said. "We owe so much. Heck, this whole city owes you so much. Keep swinging to new heights, web-slinger."

Stan walks away and heads for the door, preparing to close this chapter of his life. He's worked at Mick's for a long time, but now is the time to really see the world. Peter, meanwhile, just stood in the middle of the kitchen, mouth agape, feeling extremely confused.

"He knew?" Peter wondered how.

* * *

At Ryker's Island prison, Janice's mother was visiting a certain inmate. She sat down on her chair in the prisoner-visitor room as she waited for this certain inmate to come. On the other side of the glass is... Lonnie Lincoln, a.k.a. Tombstone. Tombstone sits down and picks up the phone. Mrs. Connolly did the same.

"Hey, baby," Tombstone greeted.

"Don't call me that," said Mrs. Connolly. "We were finished a long time ago, remember?"

"This is about Janice, isn't it?" Tombstone guessed.

"She got shot yesterday and she's fine," said Mrs. Connolly. "She's one step closer to knowing who her father is."

"After all these years, you come here to see me just to tell me what I already know," Tombstone chuckled. "Be glad. Thanks to me, she can't be hurt."

"I don't want her getting involved in your world," said Mrs. Connolly.

"You got involved with me," Tombstone reminded with a smirk.

"That's because you didn't tell me you were a drug dealer when we met," Mrs. Connolly remembered. "I told you to stay away from us, yet you kept sending me money every year to pay for her tuition. Well, now you can't. Not anymore."

"You didn't have to come here, but you did," said Tombstone. "Why?"

Mrs. Connolly didn't say a word. She just hanged up and left the prison.

Tombstone walked back to his cell thinking about one thing. Janice. His daughter. Of course she would be born with the same skin condition as his. According to his ex, Janice's condition slowly developed as she grew. It seemed to have developed to the point where a bullet can't penetrate her skin, just like her father before Spider-Man took it away from him. Unfortunately, she doesn't know who her father is. Her mother chose not to tell her and just wrote him off as a one-night stand that went wrong.

"One of these days, Jan. One day we'll meet," Tombstone hoped.

 **Wait! Miles' new girlfriend is Tombstone's daughter? WHAT?! Well, that was my intention. I was originally planning on making Janice Lincoln an ex-girlfriend of Peter, but given Tombstone's age (39 years old, according to his bio), it made more sense to make his daughter around Miles' age.**

 **Before you leave a review, I just want you to know... DON'T GET AHEAD OF YOURSELVES! Yes, I finally introduced an Avenger (Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man), but that doesn't mean I'm gonna keep doing it all the time. I only did this because I needed an excuse for a party chapter. Sure, I could've used Norman Osborn or anything else, but I chose Tony Stark. So, pretty please, DON'T BEG for me to bring in more Avengers. I still wanna keep this as a "Spidey and Friends" type of story.**

 **Notes:**

 **\- In my story, I still used the MCU story of Peter wearing the Iron Spider suit to help the Avengers fight aliens. But it wasn't Thanos. Just aliens. I don't have to tell you which kind. Just aliens.**

 **\- I did accept a request here. Some guest reviewer wanted MJ's hostile reaction to seeing Tony Stark post-Devil's Breath crisis. Well, the request was that it was for a whole chapter, but I decide to use it as a "one moment" thing.**

 **\- Once again, I gotta say, R.I.P. Stan Lee. His part in this chapter was my whole accepting a suggestion requested by two reviewers. It was about writing something in honor of Stan Lee. Well, here's the best I got. I hope you liked it.**

 **Excelsior!**


	17. Operation: Silver Locks

**Just saw the Turf Wars DLC. Let me say... intense. Dead cops. Hammerhead's hard head. But the one thing that shook me the most for sure is Yuri. Considering her comic origins, I shouldn't be surprised to see her dark side. Yet, it did surprised me. It scared me even. She's the best part of the DLC, no matter how terrifying she was. I plan on somehow including that story in my story, but it may take time because I'm still waiting for the Silver Lining DLC.**

 **But for now, enjoy.**

 **Leave a review (about this chapter) after reading, please. Give me your full, honest opinion (about the chapter, please). I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the most recent reviews: josephguy217, mastergamer14, K2-Black-Panther, Redwall, Guest(s), jessicabiggs16, TheRealCatCo, Knox, Spideysquad, guest, Frank20001023, CG, Jason Hunter, Trainman-Captain Writer, gammaxmen80, lindleya1, lyokoMARVELanime**

 ** _To mastergamer14_: I'm still deciding on that.**

 ** _To K2-Black-Panther_: Okay, understood the joke. And you're welcome for Silver Sable in the last chapter.**

 ** _To Redwall_: Someone already requested that. Previous chapter is the first meeting between Tony and Peter post-Devil's Breath crisis and I'm not changing it.**

 ** _To guest (lowercase "g")_: He was a cook at Mick's.**

 ** _To Mitsuki Shigamatsu_: Citizens trying to help Spidey. I've been trying to think of something big regarding that. Don't know when I'll try it.**

 ** _To Knox_: Well, thanks for the info. I've only ever known one Beetle and that was on the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon.**

 ** _To Spideysquad_: Request to keep writing, accepted. Well, I do my best with Just the Facts with JJJ. I really loved that part of the game; it makes you laugh, shake your head, and roll your eyes while still feeling amused.**

 ** _To gammaxmen80_: Fired or suspended indefinitely. But things will never be the same for Yuri, and that's what scares me.**

 ** _To lindleya1_: Well, until Black Cat's "death" is confirmed or revealed to be a lie (as many theorize) in the DLC stories, yes, I'm only doing incidental stuff with Felicia, but I wanna include her as much as I can. I didn't put her picture on the cover photo for nothing. Everyone on that cover photo needs their moments in the spotlight. As for why Yuri wasn't at Stark's party, she wasn't interested. I now remember I was supposed to leave a mention of Yuri (probably Peter wondering, "I wonder if Yuri is here", and then calls her as Spider-Man to find out), but I was such in a hurry that I forgot, sorry. I wish I could go "smaller" but the DLC storyline has me rethinking some of my original plans. One of those original plans was more of Yuri (I still can't find the right moment for that Spidey/Yuri web-swinging scene; I want it to be special). I'm waiting until the Silver Lining DLC before I can make a final decision on giving her more major stories. And honestly, Yuri is scaring me right now, although her story is intriguing me. But thanks for the review, very motivational, and you're welcome for the enjoyment.**

 ** _To lyokoMARVELanime_: Turf Wars will affect my story, alright, but I need to rearrange some of my plans. But yeah, poor Yuri... and poor Spidey too. Yuri is his only friend in the police force and she might be fired or something. Will the police let Spider-Man help even without Yuri? BIG QUESTION!**

Silver Sable's stay in New York has consisted of mostly casual strolls and Starbucks. She's grown quite fond of the coffee franchise's products. From coffee to hot chocolate to frappuccino, you can say Silver has developed an addiction. At least it's not alcohol, right? As Silver waited in line (a long one, at that), she listened to some music and read the latest paper. Well, what's there to do when the guy currently in the front can't make up his mind? Music and a little reading might help pass the time.

Today's front page story: Hammerhead's Crew Blow Up Building

After Spider-Man discovered that Hammerhead somehow got hold of Sable International's technology, Silver has been working with the vigilante and the police to track down Hammerhead's crew and recover every single piece of her tech. Silver has been thinking about leaving New York once the Hammerhead threat has been taken care of. She feels like she's gotten too attached to this city, which is not a bad thing, but at this rate, she might as well abandon her duties as Princess of Symkaria and live in Manhattan. Good food. Good people (and Jameson). And, of course, your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

Speaking of Spider-Man, the newspaper also says that he stopped about fifteen crimes yesterday. Sometimes, Silver wonders how Manhattan can be so infested with crime, especially since Spider-Man has stopped the likes of Kingpin and the Sinister Six.

"Hey, your majesty!" A man behind her yelled. "Are you gonna stand there all day or move?"

Silver sees that her reading has left a gap in the line. Four people have already ordered and the ones behind the princess are waiting for her to move forward. They'd cut in line, but this is Silver Sable they're talking about.

"What can I get for you this time, your highness?" The barista asked.

"First off, drop the formalities," said Silver. "Second, I'll have a latte."

Silver continues reading the paper while the barista prepares her latte. There was an article about her, and it had some positive comments regarding Sable International's partnership with the NYPD. Between that and her public kiss with Spider-Man, public opinion on Silver is getting better.

"Here you go, your high... I mean, miss," the barista said as he served her order.

Silver places money on the counter and says, "Keep the change."

Silver takes her cup and sits down on one of those comfy seats in the cafe. She takes her first sip as she checks on the rest of the paper. All of a sudden, something inside her felt funny. First, it felt like a stomach ache. Then a headache started. She drops her cup as she faints off her couch. Her fall captured the attention of everyone in the cafe.

Silver started having a seizure, alarming everyone.

"Someone call a doctor!" One person shouted.

As the people in the cafe tried to help the princess of Symkaria, the barista who served Silver's coffee sneaked away with a nasty smile on his face. He seemed satisfied with what is happening to Silver Sable.

* * *

Spider-Man was just hanging out at Times Square, having a donut and a cup of coffee that he bought from Starbucks earlier. Well, actually, he has a bag with three donuts in it. Best thing about a superhuman metabolism, he doesn't gain wait after eating too much sugar. Well, he has limits of course, but he could eat a dozen donuts and still feel just fine.

He receives a call from MJ. Well, he's already doing nothing so he might as well answer.

 _"Hi, Pete," MJ called. "I was just at Mick's and apparently it's closed temporarily due to equipment failure. I suspect it's more than just that."_

"Oh, I may have, uh, blown up the kitchen yesterday," Spider-Man said sheepishly. "I didn't get fired, but I did get a 50% reduction in my payment for the next month. The manager said the restaurant could be reopened by next week and he's already thinking about hiring someone else to be the main cook."

 _"Makes you miss Stan, huh?" MJ asked._

"Yeah," said Spider-Man. "I thought I could handle it, but clearly I need more time. Maybe the temporary closing can give me time to think."

 _"Are you sure you don't want to find a new job?" asked MJ. "I know Mick's is easy money, but without Stan, I'm just not sure you can keep that job for long."_

"MJ, we talked about this. I'm not ready to get back to the field of science just yet," said Spider-Man.

 _"I know that," said MJ. "I'm just saying, at least try to find something a little simpler."_

"Cooking is about as simple as it can go," said Spider-Man.

 _"I meant something you're good at... no offense," said MJ. "I'm just saying... what if... what if you come back to the Bugle?"_

"Come back to the Bugle? As in, as a photographer?" Spider-Man replied.

 _"No more Jameson, remember?" MJ reminded. "You can take photos for Robbie, get paid well, and not have your name be shouted every five minutes."_

"That sounds... okay. But I promised Stan I'd hold on for him," said Spider-Man. "I'll think about it, but for now, I'll stick with Mick's."

 _"If you say so," said MJ. "Say, if you're not busy later, maybe we can meet go grab a coffee for lunch."_

"That sounds lovely," said Peter. "We're supposed to be a happy couple, yet we barely do anything romantic together."

 _"If it makes you feel any better, I don't mind at all. We both have responsibilities after all," said MJ. "But we are meeting up for lunch, right?"_

"Sure, yeah," said Spider-Man. "I'll swing by and..."

Spider-Man gets interrupted when another call came in. It was Miles. He had to tell MJ, "I'll meet you there," before hanging up to answer Miles' call. Miles sounded like he was worried about something, which made Spider-Man worry. _This better not be about girls or bullies_ , Spider-Man hoped.

 _"Pete, you have to get to F.E.A.S.T., like, right now!" Miles said, panicked. "Silver Sable's here. She's been poisoned."_

"What?!" Spider-Man exclaimed.

* * *

Like Miles said, Silver Sable is at F.E.A.S.T. It's fortunate that one of the homeless people in the shelter happened to be at the coffee shop when Silver was poisoned. That homeless person immediately called Dr. Morgan Michaels and had the Princess of Symkaria rushed to F.E.A.S.T. as soon as possible. She's currently on a gurney, being treated by Dr. Michaels and other doctors in the shelter.

A surprising visitor comes walking in through the front door. Spider-Man.

"Whoa, Spider-Man?!" Miles said excitedly, pretending to be surprised. "What, uh, what are you doing here?"

"Where is she?" Spider-Man asked.

Miles knew who's "she" he is talking about. Silver. He leads the superhero to the room where Silver Sable was being treated. She's definitely not looking good. Breathing troubles, massive headaches, and an irregular heart rate.

"Spider-Man, thank goodness you're here," said Dr. Michaels.

"The reports said she was poisoned," said Spider-Man.

"True, but it's gonna take a long time for us to analyze whatever poison is in her system. I was just about to call you, but you changed your number," said Dr. Michaels.

"Sorry. Our silver friend here is the reason why," said Spider-Man. "But she found out my new number anyways."

"We have a sample of her blood," said Dr. Michaels, showing him said sample.

Spider-Man takes the sample and uses the computer in his mask's eyes to analyze it. It didn't take long, but what he found terrified him. The white of his mask's eyes widened as he looked back and forth between Silver and the blood sample.

"No. How can this be?" Spider-Man asked himself quietly in fear.

"Is it bad?" Miles asked. "I mean, it know it's bad, but you make it sound like it's worse than bad."

"This isn't just any poison. It's a neurotoxin that comes for Scorpion's suit," said Spider-Man.

"Scorpion? But he's in The Raft. How is this possible?" Miles wondered.

"Best guess, someone must've sneaked into The Raft and stole some of his toxin to use on Sable," Spider-Man guessed. "But that's not all. The neurotoxin has been mixed with another poison. Whatever was inside her coffee isn't just going to damage her mind until she loses time. It uses the heart to increase circulation. If her heart rate is too high, it'll accelerate the poison's effects. You have to keep her heart rate low."

"I'll get some sedatives," said. Dr. Michaels.

With Dr. Michaels out of the room, this gives Spider-Man the opportunity to talk to Miles about something would require the teenager's alter ego.

"Listen, Miles, we have to divide and conquer," said Spider-Man. "I have to produce an antitoxin to cure Sable, but until I can find out how to counteract the extra poison, it may take longer than expected. Sable doesn't have long. We need to stabilize her condition. That's why I need you to go to the E.S.U. Greenhouse and extract a steroid from an Eclipta Alba plant. That way, we can keep her alive longer until I get back with the antitoxin."

"Okay," said Miles.

Miles leaves the room to suit up and make his way to Empire State University. Spider-Man, meanwhile, stays in the room to look after Silver for a little while before heading out. He stands next to her bed. He can't help but feel that this is somewhat his fault, but then told himself...

"No, no, don't do this to yourself again. It's not your fault."

Then he heard a faint chuckle. It came from Silver. She was awake.

"I'm surprised your spine hasn't cracked from all the responsibility you carry with you," Silver joked, despite sounding very ill.

"Okay, not bad," Spider-Man complimented. "How're you feeling?"

"I don't have to say anything. I already heard enough," Silver said.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine," Spider-Man promised. "Symakria's not gonna lose their princess, not today. Plus, I haven't even taken you to Disneyland yet."

Silver responds to this with another faint chuckle.

"You really think I'm funny, don't you?" Spider-Man asked.

"Isn't it human to respond to something amusing with laughter?" Silver replied.

"I'm just worried I'm making you too human," said Spider-Man. "Don't you feel, you know, not yourself when you're around me?"

"That's a good question," said Silver. "One that is better left unanswered. Whoever I am, I accept it."

"You are the conundrum to end all conundrums, your highness," Spider-Man replied with bewilderment. "You shoot me at first sight, kick me in the face, tried to shoot at me again, kick me again, and now we're just... best buds?"

"It's better to accept what is given rather than hurt yourself figuring out a hidden meaning that isn't even there," said Silver.

"Ooh-kay," Spider-Man said awkwardly. "Uh, I'm gonna go and try to save your life. You just stay here and try not get too excited. Oh, wait! That came out wrong. When I said excited I meant... agh! I'm just babbling now, am I?"

"I think you should leave before your sense of humor murders me," Silver joked.

Spider-Man turns around to leave, right after freeing his hand from Silver's. Before he could leave, he saw MJ standing by the doorway. Man, he hated it when he's in the same room with these two girls. One is his girlfriend and the other is a friend who keeps kissing him in front of his girlfriend. But Spider-Man had to ignore his personal problems to focus on what's important right now.

"Keep an eye on her," he said to his girlfriend. "Make sure she stays calm."

"I will," MJ promised.

* * *

And so, Spider-Man heads to one of Harry Osborn's research stations to use the synthetic atropine he used to cure himself of Scorpion's hallucinogenic neurotoxin last year. This time, it's for Silver Sable. Unfortunately, it won't be enough. He needs to analyze a counter agent that will combat the extra poison mixed into the toxic concoction that was fed to Silver.

Even more unfortunately, all the atropine in the research station is gone.

"That's weird," said Spider-Man. "I thought there were more. Maybe I can find an alternative... no, there's no other way. Better head back to the lab to make sure."

Spider-Man returned to Otto Octavius' lab... sorry... _his_ lab to find an alternative solution. After half an hour of going through a series of puzzle-like analytical processes and patternized chemical problems... nothing.

"No, no, no. No, this can't be a dead end," he said to himself, panicking.

Fifteen more minutes of analysis... still nothing.

Frustrated, Spider-Man slams his two fists down on the table, cracking it in the process.

"NO!" He cried. "I won't fail Sable! I can't fail her."

Spider-Man starts pacing around the lab, trying to calm himself down. He takes off his mask as he wipes the sweat off his forehead. He sits down to breathe as he thinks about what he's gonna do next.

"No antidote is gonna fix Sable that won't have nasty aftereffects," he said to himself. "But if I don't find an antidote soon, she'll... she'll... no, Pete. Not the time to think about that. You can do this. This isn't just about one life. It's about an entire country." He then smacks himself in the head and says, "Okay, now you're acting all of Symkaria will come at you with torches and pitchforks if Silver... nope, nope, not gonna say the D word or any synonym of that."

Peter fiddles with screws, playing a game of jacks with them, as he listened to the next episode of J. Jonah Jameson's talk show.

 _"The latest on Silver Sable's story in our lovely city: poison," Jameson started. "The lovely princess was just having a nice cup of coffee in one of the most popular coffee franchises in the world, only for said cup of coffee to be laced with a deadly poison. Now, I truly am wishing a cure would be found immediately for her, but let's discuss the circumstances behind the poisoning. It happened right there in what's supposed to be the most relaxing eating establishment in the city. It's bad enough that we can barely walk on the streets without getting mugged, but now we have to worry about what we eat or drink? Now, I know I sound paranoid, but you have to see what I'm getting here. If some lunatic who shares Mac Gargan's love of poisoning people can sneak into a coffee establishment just like that, then who's to say your next cup of coffee is guaranteed to keep you awake forever? Hold on a minute, folks. My intern just returned with my coffee..."_

There was a brief pause.

 _"Jared, why did you buy me coffee from Starbucks?!" Jameson asked angrily. "Were you not listening to my broadcast on the way here? Are you trying to poison me, Jared? If that's so, I AM GOING TO..."_

Jared quickly ends the episode before Jameson could say anything the listeners would not want to hear. But then something about his latest broadcast had Spider-Man thinking. The guy who poisoned Silver Sable.

"What if instead of looking for a possible antidote, I can go after the person who poisoned her?" Peter wondered. "He... or she... did this to Sable, which means he or she could be the key to..."

Peter's phone rings. It was Miles.

"Miles, please tell me you got the steroid to Sable," Peter hoped.

 _"Uh, I may have, um..." Miles paused._

"Miles," Peter said in a scolding way.

 _"All the Eclipta Alba plants are gone," Miles confessed. "According to the students, they've all been stolen. No one saw who did it."_

"Crud!" Spider-Man cursed. "Whoever did this knew the ingredients needed for the cure and didn't want anyone having the chance to save Sable."

 _"Sorry, Peter," Miles apologized._

"It's not your fault, Miles," said Peter. "Just go back to F.E.A.S.T. and help MJ keep an eye on Sable. The hallucinations should kick in any time soon and Sable might hurt herself and others interacting with whatever she sees. For all we know, her hallucinogen-induced nightmare is a battlefield and she'll imagine all the homeless people as Demons."

 _"Definitely not a good thing," Miles agreed. "Okay, I'll head back. But call me if you need backup."_

After the call ended, Peter decided to get back out there and see if he can find a way to produce more atropine for the antidote. As he was about to leave the lab, he received another phone call. It was from Yuri this time. The NYPD have been investigating the Starbucks spot where Silver was poisoned, hoping to ID the culprit.

Hoping for good news, Peter answers the call.

 _"Hey, before I give you the good news, tell me. How's Sable?" Yuri asked._

"Not good," Spider-Man said honestly. "But she'll be fine. We'll make sure she becomes fine."

 _"We will, because we just got a lead," said Yuri. "The barista who served Sable's coffee is named Melthu Emoz. One of the other baristas managed to give our sketch artist a face."_

"Melthu Emoz? Must be from Europe," Spider-Man guessed. "I'll be there."

Spider-Man was about to open the door to the outside, only to turn back upon remembering something. He opened a box containing his new suit. He thought maybe now is the time to try it out.

* * *

Back at F.E.A.S.T., Miles and MJ were just talking while keeping an eye on Silver Sable. Without the Eclipta Alba plant, the best they could do is sedate Silver to keep her heart rate relaxed. She seemed calm at first. But now, she was starting to murmur in her sleep. In fact, she wasn't sleeping anymore. Her heart rate was spiking and she was starting to grunt, all because the neurotoxin was getting to her head, literally. She started moving on the bed, capturing Miles and MJ's attention.

"Dr. Michaels, we need more of that sedative!" Miles called.

"Hurry!" MJ added.

Miles and MJ tried to restrain Silver as best as they can until Dr. Michaels can come back in. Silver, however, was beginning to see things in her mind. Was it the neurotoxin? Or was it real? Whatever it is, she couldn't stop letting whatever she is seeing get to her.

"Zona Bezopasnosti... Zona! Rezzarvo! Rezzarvo!" She screamed in her sleep.

Silver finds herself somewhere in Russia. A familiar part of Russia, in fact. In a small little town populated by no more than a couple hundred people. She sees herself giving her men an order. Rezzarvo. That word struck fear into her. She tried to stop the order, even though she knew it wasn't real. She saw herself push the button of a detonator. A Sable Internationl missile was launched into the air and it blew up the little town. All of it. Reduced to ashes. The buildings. Even the people. All 200 of them.

"Na! Zifargo! Zifargo!" She exclaimed in Symkarian.

Silver ends up kicking Miles in the stomach and punching MJ on the jaw as she rolls out of bed. Silver opens her eyes and sees Miles and MJ. They were giving her judgmental looks.

"You never should've come back here," MJ said bitterly.

"After what you did to this city, why would you think we'd ever forgive you?" Miles said with hostility.

"You don't care about human life, Sable. All you ever care about are your so-called missions," MJ continued, still sounding hostile.

"Is Sable the person or the team? Who cares? There's no difference," Miles insulted.

What Silver doesn't know is that these aren't what MJ and Miles are really saying. What she's seeing and hearing are hallucinations caused by Scorpion's neurotoxin. Despite the knowledge, her infected brain was overwhelming her. Every harsh word coming out the mouths of Miles and MJ, they were hurting her emotionally. But what Miles and MJ are really saying are...

"Calm down, Sable. Calm down," MJ pleaded. "If your adrenaline spikes, you could die."

"Just take a deep breath and lie back down," Miles said calmly.

Dr. Michaels comes back with a needle in his hand containing the sedative needed for Silver. Due to the hallucinogenic neurotoxin, she sees a green serum in the needle and that color reminded her poison, leading her to believe that Dr. Michaels is there to poison her. She tried to reach for her gun, but she didn't have one. That means she has to do this the old-fashioned way.

"Miles, it's just us and Dr. Michaels," MJ whispered. "And Pete said Sable knew your secret. You can use your webs shooters one her and I'm sure we can trust Dr. Michaels."

"What about cleaning up the webs?" Miles whispered.

When Silver saw Miles' web shooters underneath his long sleeves, she attacked. Miles was about to fire a web shot, only for Silver to quickly grab his arm, twist it, and then spin-kick him to the wall. MJ grabs both of Silver's arm in a "you're under arrest" position, but Silver kicks MJ in the knee before kicking her in the stomach. Dr. Michaels rushes towards Silver, only to get knocked down by a roundhouse kick to the chest. When Dr. Michaels hit the ground, the needle fell out of his hand and into the air.

With Dr. Michaels unconscious, Miles webs the needle out of the air. MJ lightly kicks Silver in the leg as a distraction, allowing Miles to speed towards Silver and inject her with the sedative. Silver faints to unconsciousness, but not before delivering a couple kicks against Miles and MJ.

"Look at that. I beat Silver Sable before Peter did," Miles bragged.

"I helped. It doesn't count. You two are still winless against Sable," said MJ. "Now, go and get some restraints. I'll check on Dr. Michaels... and call Peter."

* * *

Yuri was at Starbucks, waiting for Spider-Man to show up so she can show him the sketch of Melthu Emoz. While she waited, she ordered herself a cup of coffee. Considering she's only had two hours of sleep last night, she could really use it. Soon enough, the man himself showed up, swinging down from above and using a street light as a boost for a flip jump to the ground. Everyone noticed that he looked different.

That's because Spider-Man just got a new suit. Shiny silver plating, black spider logo resembling the one on the Advanced Suit, red striping on the chest and arms, and luminescent eyes.

Nearby people, including a few cops, started taking pictures.

"Nice suit," Yuri complimented. "Let me guess. Iron Spider Mark 2."

"Vibranium," Spider-Man explained. "Courtesy of Silver Sable."

"That explains why King T'Challa said only one canister of that stuff was delivered to him," said Yuri.

Yuri calls the sketch artist to show Spider-Man a sketch of the culprit.

"He doesn't look like an emo," Spider-Man joked.

"According to his co-workers, he just started working here two days ago," said Yuri. "No one knows where he lives or if he has any family or friends."

"Keeping it professional. Best way to keep anyone from asking questions," said Spider-Man. He groans angrily and says, "If I find that guy, I swear I'm gonna make sure his next cup of coffee is laced with explosive foam."

"You sound upset," Yuri noticed. "Sounds like this has become... hold on."

Yuri gets a phone call from one of her officers. It was good news.

"Okay, forget what I said about no one knowing where he lives. Facial recognition just picked him up at an apartment building three blocks from here," said Yuri. "Twelve floors. Peach-colored exterior."

"Then Spider-Cop shall go forward and catch this piece of grease," said Spider- _Cop_.

Yuri raises an eyebrow and shoots a scolding look at the young superhero.

"Sorry. Sorry. Totally inappropriate. We're trying to save a poisoning victim and here's Spider-Cop acting like a child," Spider-Man said, scolding himself.

"Just go," said Yuri. "I'll catch up."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man arrives at the apartment building that matched Yuri's description. He had to stay outside while Yuri went inside to question the receptionist about Melthu Emoz. As soon as she finished, she contacted the wall crawler outside.

 _"Seventh floor. Room 77," said Yuri._

"On it," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man entered Room 77 through a window. It looked like there was no one here. But considering the messy bed and the TV remote being in the kitchen, someone definitely lived here. Spider-Man decided to check the closet. But then...

"Spidey Sense tingling," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man stepped away from the closet and opened it with his webs. There was a bomb. It was currently counting down. Only 2 seconds left until it explodes.

"Oh, God," Spider-Man panicked.

BOOM!

Yuri and a couple of officers rushed to the 7th floor to check on Spider-Man. Room 77 is destroyed, along with some of Room 76 and 78. Spider-Man was buried under rubble, but his fingers moved so that means he's alive. Yuri and the officers helped him out.

"I guess all that Vibranium came in handy, huh?" Yuri said.

"Yeah, had I been wearing spandex, it'd be two weeks in the hospital or an eternity in the morgue," Spider-Man said humorously, as if he didn't just almost die earlier.

"Looks like our poisoner knew we'd come here," said Yuri.

"Dang it!" Spider-Man said angrily.

Then Spider-Man received a call. It was Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. Black Cat, who New York still doesn't know is alive and not dead.

 _"Hey, Spider. How'd the big bang feel?" Black Cat started._

"Not the best time right now," said Spider-Man.

 _"You want the atropine for a cure, right?" asked Black Cat. "Well, come by this address and maybe I'll give it to you."_

"Wait, you stole that?" Spider-Man asked, surprised. "Don't tell me you stole the Eclipta Alba plant too?"

 _"Okay, I won't tell you," Black Cat replied humorously. "Catch me if you can, Spider."_

Spider-Man groaned. As if he didn't have enough on his hands, he now has to deal with his kleptomaniac ex-girlfriend.

"Who was that?" Yuri asked, wondering who he was talking to.

"Trouble," Spider-Man answered ambiguously.

* * *

Spider-Man arrived at the address that Black Cat sent him. It was a warehouse in Harlem once owned by the Demons. Spider-Man entered through the roof just to be sure. He hanged upside down from the ceiling to survey the are carefully. It was dark. But with an Electric Web shot at the right junction box, the lights are open. So far, nothing. Well, except for one thing. The atropine that he needed for the antidote. Just as he was about to grab it, a smoke bomb detonated, blocking his view.

He then felt someone kick him in the stomach. Once the smoke cleared, there she was. Black Cat.

"New suit, I see," Black Cat started. "I thought I hit something harder than spandex. What's it made of?"

"None of your business," said Spider-Man. "Give me the atropine, Felicia. I need it to save Silver Sable."

"No can do, Spider," said Black Cat.

"Don't tell me you're working with Melthu Emoz," Spider-Man hoped.

"Funny name, right?" Black Cat replied. "I'm sorry, Spider, but I had no choice. Emoz knew who I am and that I'm alive. If I didn't do what he told me to do, then he'd tell all of New York. And you know what that means."

"Hammerhead," Spider-Man knew. "Then let me help you. Give me the atropine, help me save Sable, and we'll take down Emoz together."

"Sorry, Spider, but he has me wired," said Black Cat.

She pointed at the chip on her head that seems to be glued to her skin.

"He can track my movements and hear every word I say. He'll know if I betray him," said Black Cat. "He told me specifically to kill you or make sure you never finish that antidote in time."

"And since you don't have it in your heart to kill me..." Spider-Man guessed.

"Then that means we get to have fun," said Black Cat.

Black Cat throws an EMP grenade at Spider-Man. He dodges it by flipping to the side, webs up the EMP, and throws it towards the skylight The only thing it short out were the lights. The means the cat and the spider have to play in the dark.

"Good thing I have night vision in this mask," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man was so busy pointing out the obvious to himself that he failed to dodge Black Cat's kick.

* * *

Back at F.E.A.S.T., Silver Sable's arms and legs are tied down to the bed to keep her from escaping should she have another hallucinogenic episode. Well, she was having another one right now.

Silver finds herself walking through the streets of Manhattan. Manhattan during the Devil's Breath crisis. She can see the Sable outposts that are incarcerating innocent civilians. She can see people sleeping in the parks and the streets. It's... It's... horrifying. Silver knew what she did during the epidemic was wrong, but to see it up close from a very different perspective... maybe she deserved this. Maybe she was destined to relive the horrors of Sable International's abuse of power over Manhattan. If she were to suffer before death, this was a fitting punishment.

 _"Your highness, we have captured Spider-Man," a Sable agent reported._

"Wh-where are you?" Silver asked.

 _"Oh, never mind. We see you," said the Sable agent._

Half a dozen Sable agents walked towards their boss. Two agents dragged Spider-Man (ensnared in electric bolas) across the road and then threw at the princess' feet. He looked hurt, tired, and his costume was in shreds.

"Are you happy now, Sable?" Spider-Man asked bitterly.

"Hey, shut up!" A Sable agent shouted as he whacked Spider-Man with his gun.

Silver orders that agent to cease the hostility. Spider-Man, however, didn't shut down his own hostility.

"Look around you, Sable. You're supposed to be going after criminals, people who do the wrong things for the wrong reasons, not people who just want to live in peace," said Spider-Man. "Have you ever wondered about all the other people you've done this to? You've been doing this for, what, a decade or so? Did you ever think about all the people you could've wronged? The people you made suffer without even knowing? With great power, comes great responsibility. You have all this power, but you clearly don't understand the responsibility that comes with the power. How do you sleep at night, Sable?"

Real or not, her brain could not handle it. Spider-Man's words hurt her more than Miles and MJ's words. As she thought before, she deserved this.

"Are you okay, your highness?" A Sable agent asked.

"No. No, I am not," Silver said softly. "Release him."

"But, your highness, Mayor Osborn has ordered us to capture him and now we have," said a Sable agent.

"I said, release him! That is an order!" Silver demanded.

The Sable agents released Spider-Man.

"Go," Silver said to the superhero. "Do what you must."

Spider-Man eyes Silver suspiciously before swinging away. And then all of a sudden, the ground below starts to crack. Silver drops down a big hole and finds herself falling down a dark abyss. With nowhere to go but down, Silver closes her eyes and awaits what comes next.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

While Silver struggles with the neurotoxin's hallucinogenic effects, Miles and MJ try to call Peter. He sounds like he's busy fighting someone. He had to hang up for reasons he couldn't say. That just meant Miles and MJ will be babysitting Silver a lot longer. Silver continues to move, moan, and mutter in her sleep. The poison must be burning through the sedative for to not be sleeping peacefully.

"Excuse me."

Someone came in through the door. Miles and MJ turn around, only to get hit in the necks with darts. Tranquilizer darts. MJ quickly faints. Miles, on the other hand, was still standing. His head was a little fuzzy, but he was still on his feet. He pulled the dart out of his neck.

The intruder shoots another tranquilizer dart at Miles, which pierce him in the chest. He remained standing and pulled the dart out of him.

"Not possible," the intruder said, shocked and confused.

"You'll find I'm full of surprises, buddy," Miles said determinedly.

Miles goes in for a punch, but the intruder dodges it. The tranquilizer may not be putting him to sleep, but it was slowing him down. The intruder reloaded his tranquilizer gun and fires another tranq dart at Miles. Miles pulls it out of his shoulder and throws another punch, only for the intruder to grab his fist. Miles was about to knee the intruder in the stomach, but the intruder saw it coming and kneed the boy's knee away. The intruder then punches Miles in the face.

"You can throw a punch. Big deal," Miles said in a cocky way as he stood up. "You'll... find me... more of a... of a challenge... and..."

Unfortunately, Miles' regenerative powers couldn't hold back to the tranquilizer effects for long. He finally fainted to unconsciousness.

"Thank you for your hospitality," the intruder joked in a quietly sinister way.

With Miles and MJ unconscious, the intruder locks the door and approaches the ill princess.

"I hope I wasn't too late, your majesty," said the intruder.

Silver opens her eyes, waking up from the nightmare, albeit temporarily. At first sight of the intruder, she recognized him.

"You... you were the one," she said, remembering the intruder server her the coffee that poisoned her.

"Indeed," said the intruder.

"Why? Who are you?" asked Silver.

"Of course you do not know who I am. You have never seen my face," said the intruder. "But you did know my father. Heinrich Zemo."

Silver's eyes widened with shock and she made a realization.

"Helmut Zemo," she said with horror.

Silver tried to break out of the restraints to fight Zemo, but the restraints were too tight. She may be of above average strength, but she is only human, after all. That means Zemo is free to do whatever he wants, such as threaten to rip out the needle attached to her arm that is distributing the sedative.

"Remember Zona Bezopasnosti?" Zemo started. "Sable International was hired by the Russian government to eradicate assassins working for a secret organization. One of those targets just happened to be in Zona. And you decided to just destroy the village after you decided enough is enough."

"If this is about vengeance, you are at the wrong place. Your father was not in Zona," said Silver.

"No, but my wife, my son, they were," Zemo revealed.

Once again, Silver is shocked.

"I may not be a saint, but my family, they've done nothing to deserve the fate you gave them without choice. I sent them to Zona so they can have a quite life until I was ready to join them," Zemo said sadly. "But now, I will never have that chance."

"I'm sorry," Silver apologized. "I have made several mistakes that I wish I could erase."

"But we can't," said Zemo. "That's the thing about life. Even if you regret the choices you have made, sometimes, those choices will always come back to haunt you. You delude yourself into thinking Manhattan is where you would find redemption. While you do have repentance for your crimes against this city, you are too far from where you want to be. At the end, no one can change. Unless something tragic occurs in your life. Maybe a certain superhero who you have grown exceptionally fond of."

"You leave Spider-Man alone," Silver snarled. "He has nothing to do with this."

"You think the poison is pain, but true pain comes not from vile concoctions," said Zemo. "Do not worry. I do not intend for you to die right away. Rather, I prefer to keep you alive long enough to know that I have taken away the source of your supposed change of heart."

Zemo takes out a detonator.

"Long-range detonator. Even from outside the city, I can activate the explosives I planted where your so-called hero would be right now," said Zemo.

* * *

Back in the warehouse at Harlem, Spider-Man and Black Cat are still fighting. The lights are back on because Black Cat's EMP effects have worn off. Spider-Man is constantly trying to get the atropine, but Black Cat constantly punches or kicks him away from it. Leave it to Spider-Man to hold back on Black Cat, being the gentleman that he is. Black Cat, however, while she is holding, she's actually putting up a fight.

"C'mon, Spider. We're supposed to be having fun," said Black Cat.

Black Cat swings from a pole and athletically kicks Spider-Man in the face with both feet.

"Waiting for a lovely princess to die isn't what I call fun," said Spider-Man.

" _Lovely_? Am I sensing three rooms in your heart?" Black Cat teased.

"Am I sensing jealousy?" Spider-Man teased back.

"Ooh, now we're having fun," said Black Cat.

Black Cat unleashes a bunch of kicks at Spider-Man that he either dodges or blocks, although he did get one to the side of his head.

"Felicia, I can help you," Spider-Man said, practically begging her to stop.

He ducks under Black Cat's high kick.

"Even if Emoz tells Hammerhead about you..."

He leans back to dodge Black Cat's roundhouse kick kick.

"I can protect you..."

He leans right to dodge Black Cat's kick that was aimed at his face.

"The police can protect you..."

Spider-Man fails to dodge Black Cat's next kick, which hit him in the cheekbone. Spider-Man hits the ground again. Black Cat steps on his chest as a way to keep him down long enough for him to fail.

"I am sorry about your princess, Spider, but I would rather stay alive," said Black Cat. "It's the ugly part of life. You can't save everyone."

"I know," Spider-Man, remembering that he said the same thing to Martin Li. "But that doesn't mean I can't try."

Spider-Man fires a Trip Mine at Black Cat. The Trip Mine fires a web line to the nearest flat surface (in this case, a column) and glues Black Cat to it.

"Just because I can't hit a lady, it doesn't mean I can't use my special toys to take care of it for me," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man heads towards the case containing the atropine.

"You know that's not going to work, Spider. You need an extra ingredient for the extra poison," said Black Cat.

"I know that," said Spider-Man. "But I went through every permutation of every possible antidote I could find. Nothing works. I might as well just inject myself with the poison and find a way to... wait."

"Am I seeing a light bulb above your head, Spider?" Black Cat guessed.

"My blood. My regenerative cells. Basically, my superhuman healing powers," Spider-Man realized. "If I can mix my cells with the antidote, without turning it into a bio-weapon, it can break down the poison in Sable's bloodstream at an even faster rate while also stabilizing ."

"You're such a smart boy, Spider," Black Cat complimented. "But still as stupid as always. If Zemo spreads the word that I'm not in pieces, Hammerhead will find me and finish the job himself. I know you're too good a hero to let that happen to me."

"I can save both you and Sable without sacrificing anyone," said Spider-Man. "Now, the webbing dissolve in an hour and no one really uses this warehouse, so..."

Spider Sense tingling! Bombs all over the place have been activated. Five-second timers.

Five...

Four...

Three...

Two...

One...

* * *

Back at F.E.A.S.T., Zevon was waiting for a news alert about an exploding warehouse. It came not too long after he flicked the detonator's switch. A warehouse on Harlem just exploded. No survivors.

"No. No. No. No. NO!" Silver cried, fearing the worst.

"Looks like your last hope and the man you love is no more," Zemo said triumphantly. "Well, I shall leave you to your rapid descent to madness, which will rapidly lead to your demise."

Zemo leaves the room, satisfied to see the fear and despair on Silver Sable's face. She will scare herself to her death, and that is enough for him.

Many minutes after Zemo left F.E.A.S.T., Miles and MJ have woken up from effects of the tranquilizer darts. To be clear, Miles woke up first, and MJ woke up just a minute later. The two immediately notice that Silver's heart rate is going out of control. They try to calm her down, but it's not working.

"The sedative isn't working anymore," said MJ. "The poison is too strong."

"C'mon, Sable. Is it so hard to calm down?" Miles begged.

"Leave me be. Just leave me be," Silver said with grief.

MJ gets a call. She tells Miles to calm Silver down while she answers the call. The call is from Yuri.

 _"Ms. Watson, I'm heading over to F.E.A.S.T. right now," Yuri said, sounding worried. "Spider-Man is in my passenger seat and he is... he's not in the best condition."_

"What? What do you mean? Is he okay? What happened?" MJ asked worriedly.

 _"Didn't you hear about the warehouse explosion in Harlem?" Yuri replied. "Well, our old friend Felicia Hardy was in that warehouse with him. She just dropped him off at the Chinatown precinct. Don't worry. No one saw her. Good news, though. She left the ingredients for the antitoxin with him. That means we can save both New York's favorite superhero and Sable."_

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

MJ heads outside F.E.A.S.T. to wait for Yuri. The commissioner arrived, and the two ladies carried Spider-Man inside the shelter for treatment. Yuri gave Dr. Michaels the formula for the antitoxin that will save Silver Sable. While Miles and the other doctors try to heal Spider-Man, Dr. Michaels gets started on the antitoxin. With the atropine and a sample of Spider-Man's blood, he did it.

Now, it was time to give the antitoxin to Silver, who was still grieving over Spider-Man's "death." No one knows what she was losing her mind about, but they had to inject her with the antitoxin immediately.

"Did it work?" Miles asked.

"We're about to find out," said Dr. Michaels.

When the antitoxin started doing its job, Silver fell asleep. And she stayed asleep after a while, which scared the others.

"NO!"

That scream came from Spider-Man, who decided to stubbornly leave his medical bed to check on Silver Sable. He limps his way towards her, afraid that the antitoxin didn't work.

"Spider-Man, what are you doing? You need to rest," said MJ.

"She's right. You're injuries are too severe for you to be walking right now," said Dr. Michaels.

"Don't make me drag your butt back to bed," Yuri threatened.

Spider-Man ignored them.

"Sable! Sable, wake up!" Spider-Man begged.

He holds both her hand and her silvery head as he begs for her to wake up. She wouldn't.

"No, please. Sable, please. Don't do this to me," Spider-Man begged, as he was on the verge of tears.

MJ, Miles, Yuri, and Dr. Michaels begin to hang his head in sorrow, fearing the worst. Spider-Man, however, wasn't going to accept the harsh truth just yet, because he doesn't believe it's the truth.

"I did everything I could. Please, wake up," Spider-Man begged, his voice cracking. "Sable! Sable! Wake up! SILVER, PLEASE!"

To Spider-Man's joy, Silver opens her eyes. MJ, Miles, Yuri, and Dr. Michaels smile upon the sight of this. Spider-Man was definitely smiling underneath the mask, but with the commissioner, the princess, and the ex-scientist in the room, he couldn't show it.

"Were you just waiting for me to call you by your first name?" Spider-Man asked.

Silver's sly smile answers the question.

"Talk about a dark sense of humor," Spider-Man replied.

"I see you've made great use of the Vibranium," Silver noticed.

"Yeah, I did. If it wasn't for you, I'd have been dead today," said Spider-Man. "How do you feel?"

"Better," Silver answered.

"But you still need plenty of rest," said Dr. Michaels.

"You may be the princess, Sable, but he's the doctor," said Yuri.

Silver nodded, promising she'll rest until she feels even better. Spider-Man then noticed that he was still holding Silver's hand... right in front of MJ. So, Spider-Man lets go of Silver's hand and backs away slowly.

"Awkward," Miles commented.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

After resting for a while, Spider-Man exited F.E.A.S.T. to get back to swinging. Before he could do that, he sits on the roof as he contacts an old friend. That old friend is none other than, of course, Felicia Hardy.

 _"Feeling well, Spider?" Black Cat asked._

"Well, my back aches a little, but otherwise I'm good," said Spider-Man. "Hey, thanks... you know, for bringing me to Yuri."

 _"No problem, Spider," said Black Cat. "I'm sorry about Sable."_

"Don't worry. She's fine," said Spider-Man. "But you really gotta learn to ask for help next time... for the right reasons, of course. I don't need you conning me again."

 _"Don't count on it. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do," Black Cat teased. "By the way, I had to use some of your webbing to get this chip off my skull. It hurt like hell, but it's how we're even talking right now."_

"Then you're welcome, I guess," said Spider-Man. "Just don't wear your suit in broad daylight again, okay?"

 _"You know I work best at night," said Black Cat. "See you soon, Spider."_

* * *

The next day, a helicopter hovered over the Symkarian Embassy. Silver Sable was on the roof and just about to climb up the ladder lowered by Sable agent piloting the helicopter. But she just stood there, as if she was waiting for something... or someone. And it just so happens that Spider-Man was just swinging by. The smile on Silver's face means that the web-slinger is the one she was waiting for.

"I called Yuri about our latest Hammerhead-related mission. She said you were leaving New York," said Spider-Man.

"I am," Silver confirmed.

"But why?" asked Spider-Man.

"Melthu Emoz. It's an anagram for his true name. Helmut Zemo. A husband and a father who no longer has a wife and a child, because of me," said Silver. "The poison he used on me, it was, as you would say, a wake-up call. I have been running Sable International since before I exited adolescence. Over the years, I have traveled the world accepting any mission tasked to me and my men. What I have done to countless innocents for the past decade, they make my actions during the Manhattan outbreak appear gentle in comparison. If anything, Zemo opened my eyes. New York is only one of many I must make amends with. Plus, I cannot stay here for long. Zemo must've realized I survived and he will come for me. I almost lost you because of my actions in the past. I cannot stay here if it means endangering you and everyone you love."

"Wow, that's-that's deep," Spider-Man replied.

"It is," Silver agreed. "This is not goodbye forever, but I must pay my debts before I can return. New York. It's become like a second home to me, thanks in no small part to you."

"Then I guess Operation: Silver Locks is a success," Spider-Man said happily.

"Silver Locks?" Silver questioned.

"I would've called it _Operation: Help Silver Sable Become More Human And Try To Befriend Her So She Won't Shoot At Me Again_ , but that's just way too long," said Spider-Man. "I know Silver Locks seems on the nose, but... it's way better than Operation: Silver Sharpener."

An amused smile showed on Silver's face. The wall-crawler's sense of humor has really grown on her.

"Too bad you're leaving, because there's still so much I want to show you," said Spider-Man. "And I was so looking forward to taking you to Disneyland. That was both a joke and a promise."

"Maybe one day," said Silver Sable.

"But what about Hammerhead?" asked Spider-Man. "He still has your tech, and Spider-Cop will miss Silver Sabre so much."

"I trust you. I believe you and your allies will succeed. I have no doubts," Silver said positively. "I will miss you and your bizarre witticisms, Spider-Man. Until we meet again."

 _Wow_ , Spider-Man thought. Those were the exact same words she said to him before she left New York. Then Silver did something unexpected. She walked closer and slowly wrapped her arms around him. It's as if she was trying to... hug him. Awkwardly, might he add.

"I guess you're a stranger to hugs," Spider-Man guessed.

After the hug, Silver removes Spider-Man's mask halfway and plants yet another kiss on his lips. As much as Spider-Man wanted to pull away, he told himself to just go along with it if it makes her happy. This is goodbye, after all. Might as well make it worth it for her. Still, this feels super weird for him.

"Take care," Silver whispered after the kiss.

Silver turns around and hops on the ladder as she signals the pilot. Spider-Man pulls his mask down completely as he turns around as well to leave the embassy's rooftop.

"Parker," Silver said suddenly.

Spider-Man stopped with a shocked expression on his mask and the face beneath his mask. He turns around only to see that the helicopter has already left, with Silver Sable still holding on to the ladder and looking down right at him. Spider-Man just stood there in confusion as he watched the helicopter leave New York.

"H-H-How did she know?" Spider-Man wondered.

 **Indeed. How did Silver Sable know who Spider-Man is? Well, I already know why, but what about you? How do you think she knew?**

 **Now, confession time. I needed a reason to get Silver Sable off the story for a while so the events of the Turf Wars DLC can be include in my story. Granted, it will not be the same (considering I said before that I may ignore future DLCs after "The Heist" but maybe I can just make some tweaks). But don't worry. Silver Sable will return one day. Maybe Chapter 20 or 21. Honestly, I'll miss her. She's been the character I've had the most fun writing in this story, well, besides the always funny and lovable Spider-Man.**

 **So, what do you think of this chapter? Don't be afraid to give me your full, honest opinion.**

 **Notes:**

 **\- I know Helmut Zemo's story here is similar to that of Captain America: Civil War, but I just really loved that version of Zemo a lot. One of the best MCU villains, in my opinions. Sympathetic and despicable at the same time. The only difference in this story from the movie version is that it was Silver Sable who wronged him, not the Avengers. Also, I thought using the name "Melthu Emoz" (an anagram for Helmut Zemo) would be good misdirection before the reveal. Like, is this another ordinary person going after Sable like in Chapter 8, or is it an actual comic book character?**

 **\- Maybe this is an unnecessary reminder, but in this story, Peter now owns Octavius Industries because of a favor from Norman. I just thought Peter could need a place to work on his tech besides his apartment.**


	18. A Partnership Made in Heaven

**Remember the Raft breakout tease in Chapter 15 and the time jump I promised for a Christmas special, well, forget all that... for now, at least. Thanks to the Turf Wars DLC, I need to shake up my plans again and one of those plans involve Yuri Watanabe. It's clear my story can't line up well with the DLC stories, so I'm just gonna make a lot of tweaks to at least make it somewhat fit with the DLC storyline.**

 **But before we jump to my version of the Turf Wars aftermath, how about we once again dive into the relationship between Spider-Man and Yuri?**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Give me your full, honest opinion (about the chapter, please). I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the most recent reviews: roxasduelwielder, guest, CG, gammaxmen80, XtremeGamer97, Mitsuki Shigamatsu, Jason Hunter, Redwall, Harpertips**

 **SPECIAL THANKS to the following users for the previous chapter's reviews: Dcarus, Spideysquad, lindleya1**

 ** _To MysteryPerson_: I heard about it somewhere.**

 ** _To Guest_: Maybe it is just all fluff and ship fuel, but I really enjoy writing this story.**

 ** _To CG and Jason Hunter_: I don't think Silver Sable has actually met/saw Peter Parker, not even in my story. Just Spider-Man. (Unless you would like to think that she did see Peter with MJ at the Stark party in Chapter 16, and that's okay. For all we know, Silver could've seen MJ with Peter before they even knew she was at the party.)**

 ** _To Dcarus_: What if, indeed.**

 ** _To gammaxmen80_: Yeah, I'm really hoping Silver Sable comes back to get her tech back from the Maggia, although I'm worried "Silver" could be Silvermane, given all the mob stuff. I'm just itching to know why "Silver Lining" is the chosen name. Is the metaphorical meaning that could be vital, or is it the word "silver"?**

 ** _To Spideysquad_: Okay, I'll tell you. Silver Sable knew Spider-Man's identity because of three things. 1) Mary Jane Watson, 2) Miles Morales, and 3) F.E.A.S.T. Like you said, Silver knowing about Miles' secret is basically a red flag that she knows who Spider-Man is too. Great guess.**

If anybody ever told Yuri that she would become commissioner one day, she would just laugh it off as some joke. But that's exactly what happened. A corrupt commissioner dies by her hand just to save New York's resident wall crawler and she gets rewarded by being given the title of commissioner. Despite some skeptics and certain rumors, Yuri has persisted in order to keep the NYPD a force for good in the eyes of New York's citizens... with help from Spider-Man, of course. The super-powered vigilante has always had her back since she decided to trust him.

Speaking of Spider-Man, guess who Yuri found on top of the Chinatown precinct eating pizza just as she wanted to get some air?

"Oh, hey, Yuri," Spider-Man greeted. "Just having some early morning pizza. Want some?"

"No thanks. I'll stick with gum," Yuri said as she popped some gum in her mouth and started chewing. Seeing babyish lower half of Spider-Man's face, she asked, "Have you ever thought about growing a beard?"

"I have, but then I'd be itching all the time," Spider-Man said while chewing.

"Didn't your mother teach you not to talk with your mouth full?" Yuri asked.

"Nope," said Spider-Man. "My aunt did."

"Deadbeat parents?" Yuri asked.

"Remove the _beat_ from deadbeat and you'd be on the mark," Spider-Man said sadly.

"Oh, I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," Yuri apologized.

"That's okay. I was very young. I'm been doing just fine in spite of it," said Spider-Man.

"For someone who has lost so much, how can you be so happy?" asked Yuri.

"Because I always have something to live for," Spider-Man answered. "MJ. Training Spider-Boy. Protecting the city. Still trying to find a long-term real job, though."

"Crime-fighting doesn't pay?" Yuri asked jokingly.

"No, but saving the city is a reward on its own," said Spider-Man.

"If I gave you a badge, I'd pay you big time," said Yuri.

"Nice thought, but I prefer to earn what I can on my own," said Spider-Man.

"So, if I might ask, why are you eating pizza at my precinct?" asked Yuri.

"Because today is a special day," said Spider-Man. "Today marks the 8th anniversary of our partnership. I know you don't want to make a big deal out of it, but I just thought we'd hang out a little bit."

"You are really stretching this whole wanting-to-be-more-than-partners thing," Yuri commented.

"I know you're not the social type, Yuri, but you're my friend, practically family, if I have to be honest," said Spider-Man.

"W-Wow," Yuri said, surprised. "Going really deep there, aren't you?"

"Like you said, I lost so much," said Spider-Man. "But as long as there are still people who care about me, I'm not alone."

"Sometimes, I forget you're just a human being underneath that suit. A super-powered human being, but still," said Yuri.

"A lot of people do," said Spider-Man. "By the way, to make our special day even more special, I got a case for the two of us."

"Oh, really? What is it?" asked Yuri.

"I think I found one of Hammerhead's hideouts," said Spider-Man. "It's not much, but one blow to our favorite metal-brained lunatic is always a bonus. Who knows? Maybe we can find out more."

"Okay, I'll bite," said Yuri. "Where's this hideout?"

"That's the thing. I don't know," said Spider-Man. "But I heard somewhere that a guy named Rico Lefevre knows where this hideout is at. He lives just a few blocks from here."

"And you didn't go after him before coming here, why?" asked Yuri.

"Well, one, he doesn't leave his apartment from 9 to 11 AM. It's 9:43 now, so we got time," said Spider-Man. "And two, I want us to bust him together. A good cop needs a bad cop after all."

"I thought you were against using force to interrogate," said Yuri.

Spider- _Cop_ spoke. "After nine years on this job, Spider-Cop has learned that the nice guy approach can only work so many times. Some criminals will only break through being as tough as steel. But Spider-Cop is not a bad cop, even if his voice suggests he might be. You, Chief, on the other hand, are the toughest cop out there, both in strength and personality."

"Okay, just the two of us. We don't want him to run," said Yuri.

"Let me just finish here," said Spider-Man, still eating pizza. "Eddie's Pizza. Best in the city. You should try it some time."

Yuri rolls her eyes, but smiles.

* * *

In an alleyway near the Chinatown precinct, Rico Lefevre is on a phone call with one of his fellow Hammerhead Thugs. From the sound of things, it's just another casual conversation, like all henchmen have, be it friendly, hostile, or both.

"The Spider? He doesn't stand a chance against Hammerhead," Rico boasted. "If he did, then he would've locked up the boss a long time ago..."

Rico was silenced when a web shot covers his mouth. This was followed by a bunch of webs wrapping him up and then getting dragged into the door of a nearby auto repair shop. It was dark. He couldn't see a thing. All he knows is that he's being hanged upside down. Then the lights finally opened. And he sees two people in the place. Spider-Man and Commissioner Watanabe.

"Hey, I know you. You're the commissioner of the pigs," Rico insulted.

Yuri, for some reason, punched Rico in the face.

"Whoa, Yuri. Not the time for bad cop yet," said Spider-Man. "Let Spider-Cop handle this."

"Spider... who?" Rico asked, confused.

Spider-Cop begins the interrogation. "Listen, you scumbag. I know you know the location of one of Hammerhead's secret bases, and you're gonna give up that information right now."

"Or what?" Rico replied stubbornly.

"Or else the commissioner adds illegal gambling to your prison sentence," Spider-Cop threatened.

"I can't take you seriously with that voice," said Rico.

"Don't you talk that way to me, dirtbag," Spider-Cop growled. "You don't want me to get rough on you."

"Do your worst. I'm not talking," said Rico.

"Fine. Then you leave me no choice," said Spider-Cop.

Spider-Cop hits Rico and he begins spinning around in circles. Rico goes "Whoa" continuously as he spins around and around and around. He was starting to get dizzy. After ten seconds, Spider-Man stops spinning Rico. He was definitely dizzy now.

"I'm losing my patience, you slimeball," said Spider-Cop. "Tell us where the base is and you'll get a minimum sentence."

"Go... to... hell... whoa, I'm so woozy," said Rico.

"Darn it," Spider-Cop cursed. "You're gonna regret not talking to me, pal. Chief, it's bad cop time."

Yuri takes over. She has that look on her face that kinda terrifies Rico right now.

"Listen, Rico. You can make this easy on yourself by giving us some answers. Tell us what we want to know and I'll call off Spider-Cop," said Yuri.

Rico giggled a little. "I'm sorry. Are you supposed to be the bad cop? 'Cause you sound like the good cop."

"Okay, you want to play it that way? Let's play," said Yuri.

"Uh, isn't assaulting the interrogated a crime?" asked Rico.

"Tell me where that base is or I'm gonna leave you here until gravity crushes your lungs," said Yuri.

"You-You wouldn't," Rico said hopefully.

"Try me," Yuri dared.

"Hammerhead's right. You cops are just a bunch of chumps," Rico insulted. "Hammerhead is gonna hammer your corpse to the wall, lady! You hear me? If he finds out what you're doing to me, he'll make an example of you. He'll go after anyone you care about and he'll make you suffer."

If Rico's intent was to anger Yuri, it's working. Her professional face turned into a furious one. Imagining Hammerhead getting anywhere near her mother is a frightening thought that just angers her.

"And once he's done, he'll be done with you," Rico continued mindlessly. "Hammerhead will control this city, lady, and you can't stop him..."

Angered, Yuri punches Rico in the face. This wasn't like the first punch. It was a really, really hard punch. A punch that caused Rico to spit out a tooth and some blood. Spider-Man pulls Yuri away before she could hurt Rico more.

"Whoa, easy, Commissioner," Spider-Man pleaded.

"Get off me!" Yuri ordered, swatting Spider-Man's hands off her.

"What happened to you?" asked Spider-Man. "I know Rico went too far threatening your family, but... that was too much."

"With criminals, it's never too much," Yuri argued.

"Whoa, what's gotten into you?" Spider-Man asked, shocked by this behavior.

"Clearly, Rico here is not the giving-up-easy type," said Yuri. "Which means we have to apply a little more pressure."

"Hey, when I agreed we'd do the bad cop thing, I wasn't talking about torture," said Spider-Man.

"What do you think bad cop means?" Yuri asked sarcastically.

"Tough talk. Threatening to hurt him but you're not really going to. Maybe apply a little pressure but not actually live up to the threat," said Spider-Man.

"Hey, you came to me with this. We do it my way if your way doesn't work," said Yuri.

"You're the police commissioner. You should know better," said Spider-Man. "Trusting a vigilante is about the worst you can do."

"Trust me. I can do worse," Yuri warned.

"Uh, are you two done?" Rico interrupted.

"We will be right with you a minute, young man," said Spider-Man. Looking at Yuri, he says, "We can't be like criminals, Yuri."

"I know that," said Yuri.

"So why do you insist on behaving like one?" asked Spider-Man.

"I have been hunting down the Maggia for years. They've ruined too many lives for me to take this lightly," said Yuri.

"But you can't lose yourself trying to accomplish this mission," said Spider-Man.

"We are wasting time here, Spider-Man," said Yuri. "And we haven't gotten any answers yet."

"This was supposed to be fun," said Spider-Man.

"Taking down Hammerhead is supposed to be fun?" Yuri questioned angrily.

"I meant that today was supposed to be fun," said Spider-Man. "You and me, Spider-Cop and The Chief, making the most of our anniversary. Yet, we're at each other's throats for no reason."

Sarcastically, Yuri said, "Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry that we couldn't be sipping milkshakes together or going to the beach for our so-called special day."

"Boy, are you two gonna send me an invite to the wedding or not?" Rico joked, fed up with the arguing. "Seriously, you two argue like a married couple."

"Hey, I'd marry her if I wanted to, but she's got some issues," Spider-Man said jokingly. "Plus, I can't even afford a wedding ring."

"Well, won't my mom be disappointed," Yuri joked.

"Stop, stop, stop. I give up," Rico gave up. "The only base of Hammerhead's I know of is a warehouse in the Financial District. I swear, that's all I know. Just stop yelling."

"Huh. I guess that worked," Spider-Man said casually.

"Let's head to the Financial District. I'll call my guys to take Rico here to the precinct," said Yuri.

"Better than having to listen to you two," said Rico.

* * *

As expected, the Hammerhead-owned warehouse in the Financial District is full of Hammerhead Thugs armed with Sable tech. Spider-Man sneaked inside through the ventilation system while Yuri waited outside. He had to give her everything before they could even come up with a plan to take out every single thug in the building. _Good thing no one ever looks up_ , Spider-Man thought. Why is that though?

 _"Okay, what do you see?" Yuri asked._

"Lots of Sable tech," said Spider-Man. "Man, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I wish Sable was here."

 _"Which Sable are we talking about, exactly? Sable International or Silver Sable?" Yuri teased._

"Oh, ha-ha," Spider-Man said sarcastically. "Man, Rico's right. We do sound like a married couple."

 _"Don't tell my mom that," said Yuri. "How many are inside?"_

"About twenty-one," Spider-Man counted. "I can take them out, but I may need a distraction. That's what I got you for, partner."

 _"Okay, just give me a minute to cal for backup," said Yuri._

Spider-Man stayed on the ceiling as he waited for the signal. Suddenly, the lights started flickering like that of a horror movie. And like a horror movie, the thugs are running around, unsure of where to go, not knowing what they're firing at. As for Spider-Man, he knows it's time for action.

Spider-Man leaps down from above and punches Hammerhead Thug #1 in the face, knocking him out immediately. Seeing Spider-Man due to the brief second of lighting, Hammerhead Thugs #2 to #10 started shooting at him with their Sable guns. Using the flickering lights to his advantage, Spider-Man dodges the blasts as he surprise-attacks the thugs. He either socks them in the faces, webs them up with either Impact Web or Trip Mines, or just jumps on their shoulders and webs up their faces. He even web-threw one webbed-up thug at another. After Thugs #2 - #10 were taken out, the other thugs took notice and started firing. Spider-Man starts swinging around while still using the flickering lights to his advantage.

Hammerhead Thug #11 fires the Sable-branded electric bolas, but Spider-Man dodges them in mid-air. He then webs up Hammerhead Thug #11, pulls him up in the air, and then kicks him down to the floor. Spider-Man web-zips himself towards Thug #12 and kicks him in the face towards Thug #13, knocking them both out. Spider-Man jumps and spins in the air to dodge some blasts and then fires three Web Bombs, webbing up Thug #14 to #16. Spider-Man kicks the three them to the wall to glue them there. Hammerhead Thug #17 tried to attack from behind, but Spider-Man no-look-webs his face and then spin-kicks him in the face.

Only four Hammerhead Thugs remain. Good news, they're separated. Spider-Man webs up Hammerhead Thug #18 and sticks him to the ceiling. He swings towards Thug #19 and kicks him high up, followed by an Impact Web shot that sticks him to the wall. Thug #20 sees Spider-Man and fires, but Spider-Man webs his gun away from him before clocking him hard in the nose.

That just leaves Hammerhead Thug #21. This thug definitely feels like he was in a horror movie. Lights flickering, no backup, and a man-sized spider after him. Speaking of the man-sized spider, the thug is unaware that Spider-Man is hanging upside down from the ceiling and slowly lowering himself right behind him.

"Hi, there," said Spider- _Cop_.

The thug screams as the lights go out temporarily. When the lights went back on, Yuri comes in to see Spider-Man wrapping up Thug #21 in a web cocoon.

"You worried me there for a minute," said Yuri.

"Hey, all in a day's work," Spider-Man said proudly.

"Backup is one its way," said Yuri. "Good job."

Hammerhead Thug #1, however, woke up and shot Yuri. Good news, it only grazed her shoulder. Bad news, the thug is running away. Spider-Man fires a web shot, but Thug #1 closes the door in time to avoid getting webbed.

"I'll go after him. You try ambushing him from above," Yuri ordered.

"Awesome," said Spider-Man.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Hammerhead Thug #1 runs as fast as he can, trying to get away from both the spider-themed vigilante and the police commissioner. He looks over his shoulder to see Yuri chasing him. Yuri tried shooting his feet, but he was too far away to get a clear shot. Yuri holsters her gun and focuses on trying to catch up to the thug. They both jump over crates and maneuver around old cars with little effort.

When the thug made a left, Yuri found a shortcut in a nearby alleyway. She takes it.

Just when the thug thought he lost her, Yuri shows up out of nowhere and tackles him the ground. Yuri quickly picks up her gun and pistol-whips the thug before he could even think of running again.

"Hands up, now! Nowhere to go, nowhere to run," said Yuri.

"That's what you think, commissioner," said Thug #1.

Suddenly, Yuri is surrounded by six more Hammerhead Thugs armed with Sable weapons. Yuri had to put her arms up and drop her gun. Thug #1 takes the gun for himself.

"Hammerhead's gonna love to meet you in person," said Thug #1.

"Well, tell him it's gonna have to wait," said Yuri.

"Why is that?" asked Thug #1.

Through her peripheral vision, Yuri can see a certain someone crawling on the walls nearby. This certainly brought a smile on her face.

"Because I have backup," said Yuri.

Spider-Man takes away all of the Sable guns by webbing them up and pulling them away. He then web-zips himself towards Hammerhead Thug #22 for a face kick. He followed this by webbing the faces of Thugs #23 and #24, turning around, and then pulling hard to smash their faces together.

With Thug #1's attention diverted, Yuri strikes. She swipes her gun back from him, knees him in the stomach, and then hits him in the face with a high kick. She shoots Hammerhead Thugs #25 and #26 quickly, killing or incapacitating them before they could even think about attacking her.

"Hey, Yuri. Double team!" Spider-Man called, pointing at the final thug.

Spider-Man webs Thug #27 in the chest, and then pulls him closer. Spider-Man uppercuts him up in the air. Spider-Man bends down low, allowing Yuri to jump off his back and kick Thug #27 down.

"Now you're getting it," Spider-Man said happily.

"Let's just not do that in front of other officers, okay?" Yuri said.

"Whoa, that is a nasty mark," Spider-Man said, looking at the shoulder wound.

"The bullet only grazed it. I'm fine," said Yuri. "I'll have EMTs look at it."

"No, let me take you to F.E.A.S.T. They have the best doctors, including Dr. Morgan Michaels," Spider-Man offered.

"I'm not swinging with you," Yuri said rather awkwardly.

Spider-Man finds a nearby rag and uses it to bandage Yuri's wound. Yuri certainly appreciated it, although she didn't say it.

"Then at least consider it," said Spider-Man.

* * *

Yuri did consider it and drove to F.E.A.S.T., bad shoulder and all. She met with Miles Morales and Morgan Michaels for medical treatment. She sits down while Dr. Michaels treats her shoulder wound. Then a familiar face came to greet her. Mary Jane Watson.

"Captain Watanabe. I didn't expect you to be here," said MJ.

"Thank you web-headed friend. He suggested I come here," said Yuri.

"Well, F.E.A.S.T. did patch him up good after a brutal beatdown from Doctor Octavius," said MJ.

"MJ mentioned you two know each other," said Miles.

"You must be Jefferson's kid. Miles, is it?" Yuri guessed. "Your father was a good man."

"Yeah, he was," Miles agreed.

"He mentioned you're the tech wiz kind of kid. What are you doing at a place like this?" asked Yuri.

"A friend of MJ's suggested to my mom that I come work here as a way for me to deal with my grief," said Miles. "And it's helped a lot."

"Don't let me catch you hacking into the police network, kid," Yuri warned jokingly.

"No problem, ma'am," Miles said with his hands in the air.

"Hey, MJ."

That voice came from Peter Parker, who just showed up looking for his girlfriend.

"Uh... Commissioner Watanabe? Nice to meet you," Peter said, trying to sound like he's only met her. "Mary Jane's told me a lot about you."

"She has, has she?" Yuri asked. "Let me guess. You're the one who got Jefferson Davis' kid this job."

"Yeah," Peter confirmed. "So, um, are you-are you okay, commissioner?"

"Just fine, kid," said Yuri. "You can credit New York's favorite superhero for introducing me to this place."

"I heard you and Spider-Man are quite close," Peter said. Realizing how casual and wrong that sounded, he tried to correct himself. "I mean, on good terms, of course. Not that I believe in those silly rumors of you and m-m... Spider-Man... but hey, everyone loves a celebrity couple, am I right?"

Yuri raised an eyebrow. Peter's speech pattern and sense of humor reminded her of a certain someone.

Peter turns to MJ and asks, "Uh, MJ can we talk alone?"

"Sure," said MJ.

Peter and MJ walk away from earshot to talk alone. Yuri couldn't help but notice how more than friendly Peter and MJ are with each other. The way they smiled at each other was suspect.

"Ex-boyfriend?" Yuri guessed.

"Uh... you can say that," Miles said, almost slipping up there. "But they've been friends for a long time. No reason they still can't see each other."

Dr. Michaels came back and said, "Okay, just get some rest and that wound should be fine by tomorrow."

"Thanks, doctor," said Yuri.

"Thank Spider-Man too. He saved you, didn't he?" Miles said.

"Not the first time," said Yuri.

* * *

Spider-Man was back at the Chinatown precinct. As he perched on the railing, he took out his phone and noticed that J. Jonah Jameson has a new episode out. Time to listen to yet another one of Jameson's broadcasts, be it an anti-Spider-Man type or paranoia concerning other things in the city.

 _Jameson started. "One of the hideouts owned by the crime boss Hammerhead has been found today by, guess who, Spider-Man. But he wasn't alone on this one. Apparently, Commissioner Yuriko Watanabe was there with him. Just her. No other police officer. Suspicious, isn't it? I don't know if the commissioner listens to my show, but I know Spider-Man does. I've warned the dangers of this rumored affair and he still insisted on trying to be close to her. Too close, if you ask me. According to my sources, Commissioner Watanabe suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder. I supposed you're gonna say, it can always be worse, right? Well, THAT'S EXACTLY THE POINT. It could have been worse! I've said this before and I'll say it again, everyone who that webbed menace associates with ends up in mortal danger. I wish Commissioner Watanabe the best, but her constant tolerance of Spider-Man will only lead to anything but good."_

Spider-Man sighs, only because he believes Jameson has a point. Whether it was his Uncle Ben, Aunt May, or that bird-watcher named Stephanie, everyone who he gets close somehow ends up in danger. He was lucky that one Hammerhead Thug had bad aim and only hit Yuri on the shoulder, but next time...

"I don't get why you listen to that loudmouth," said Yuri, who just showed up and listened to the broadcast.

"Hey, you listen to him, too," Spider-Man replied.

"Only to make sure you're not doing anything too crazy," said Yuri.

"Don't tell me you take Jameson's word for every weird thing I do," said Spider-Man.

"I don't," said Yuri. "So, why don't you go ahead and tell me your side of the story? First of all, the potholes?"

"Call it a public service. Underground steam pipes, high water pressure, and all that. The pounding was to look for trouble spots and release pressure through manholes," Spider-Man explained.

"That sounds like something plumbers should be taking care of," said Yuri.

"I know, but I wasn't exactly expecting to get paid. Just doing the public a favor," said Spider-Man.

"And the billboards?" Yuri asked.

"High voltage warning. Just resetting them so they won't blow up," said Spider-Man.

"Where do you keep getting all this info?" asked Yuri. "Do you just go around looking for stuff to do when you're not fighting crime?"

"If I told you that, you'd be one step closer to finding out the pretty face under the mask," said Spider-Man.

"Am I to assume you wear that mask because you're ashamed of your looks?" Yuri teased.

Spider-Man chuckled. Yuri sorta did as well.

"Why do we still do this? You have a girlfriend," Yuri wondered.

"'Cause I'm hard to resist?" Spider-Man teased.

"I can resist web-swinging with you," Yuri reminded.

"Okay, you got me there," said Spider-Man. "Listen, Yuri. I'm sorry about today. I..."

"Don't apologize," Yuri said. "We found one of Hammerhead's hideouts and found information on other places he's using as fronts for his operations. We may not have found out where he is, but we're another step closer. Not a bad way to spend our anniversary, I must say. Just don't do this again next year, please."

"If you wish," said Spider-Man. "But it's always an honor to work with you, commissioner."

"And what does our special friend say?" Yuri asked.

Spider-Cop goes into _Spider-Cop_ mode. "Spider-Cop treasures his partnership with The Chief like he treasures the simple things in life. Air. Life. Soap."

"Okay, stop," Yuri interrupted.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I got date night to prepare for. See you tomorrow, Yuri," said Spider-Man. "Or tonight, if there's a crime that needs cleaning up."

"I'd rather be in the office," Yuri commented.

 **I feel like I'm torturing myself by writing this chapter, considering what I just saw on the Turf Wars DLC. But I needed more time to think for other chapters and I just really wanted to write another chapter about Spidey and Yuri's relationship as well.**

 **So, what do you think (about the chapter, to be specific)?**

 **Note:**

 **\- Fun fact for those who might not know yet. The voice actors of Spider-Man and Yuri (Yuri Lowenthal and Tara Platt, respectively) are married in real life. That's where the "sound like a married couple" joke in this chapter came from. I thought it'd be a nice and hilarious reference.**


	19. A Partnership Unmade in Heaven

**Okay, just so we can put the whole "How am I going to handle the aftermath of Turf Wars?" to bed, here it is. I was gonna wait for the Silver Lining DLC, but then I reminded myself that this is way different from the canon storyline. Plus, I didn't want to keep everyone waiting too long for an update.**

 **A just-in-case reminder: Yuri is the police commissioner in this story. I don't know how to change that from her would-be punishment as captain in the game, but I don't have that kind of knowledge about police ranks and stuff. I'm just a guy who loves to write.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion (about the chapter, please). I will really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for the most recent reviews: VenomSpawn54, Frank20001023, gammaxmen80, Evanator, Spieysquad, Redwall, Knox, K2-Black-Panther**

 ** _To gammaxmen80_: You are correct. The previous chapter was indeed foreshadowing Turf Wars.**

 ** _To Evanator and Redwall_: Well, not every chapter is gonna be 6,000-9,000 words long. I gotta chill once in a while and settle for 4,000 or 5,000 words, just like the previous chapter and a few other chapters before it. But I'm glad you like it.**

 ** _To Spideysquad_: Thanks for commenting about the "married couple" reference. Appreciate it a lot. Now, I like Yuri a lot because of her partnership with Spider-Man and how her serious personality clashes with Spidey's funny side. Plus, why wouldn't I include more Spider-Cop? It's golden!**

 **To CG: Okay, you did not need to post the same review again about what I'm planning for Yuri concerning the aftermath of Turf Wars. I was already planning on it. In fact, it's what you're reading right now.**

 ** _To Knox_: I'm still planning on it. I just need to finish the Turf Wars/Silver Lining storyline.**

 ** _To K2-Black-Panther_: Well, we can't blame Yuri, but all that darkness just makes us think of what she could become. And I guess you have a right answer about how Silver knew Spider-Man's identity. I'm really glad you're loving this.**

In the office of psychiatrist Karla Sofen, there sat Yuri Watanabe. Nothing on her face except a clear expression of anger. Head down, fists on her hips, and her right boot constantly tapping the floor as a sign of impatience. Fortunately, Karla finally arrived to begin their session. The psychiatrist sat down as she prepared her notes. As a professional, she has trained herself to endure and manage an angry patient.

"Commissioner Watanabe, welcome," Karla greeted.

"Let's just get this over with. I don't have a lot of time," said Yuri.

"Very well," said Karla. "You didn't exactly tell me what this session was about. You insisted I prioritized discretion even more for your arrival."

"That's because I don't like what I'm about to talk about," said Yuri. "It's about... Hammerhead."

"The recently deceased mob boss? What of him?" asked Karla.

"It's a... long story," said Yuri. "Long story short, what the police told the public about Hammerhead's death was false. Hammerhead wasn't killed in a shootout with the police. He was murdered... by me."

"That's... concerning," said Karla, surprised. "But you have regrets, I'm guessing?"

"This isn't about regrets," said Yuri. "I'm here because of Detective DeWolff. I'm here hoping you can help me with a very serious matter. You might need the full story, though."

"Then give me the full story. It would make this easier, not that it's ever easy," said Karla.

Yuri takes a deep breath as she prepares to tell Karla the whole story. She started with her father, although Karla was aware of it since Mary Jane Watson had published an article about Mr. Watanabe's ties to the Maggia. Yuri just had to tell her side of the story. She worked her way to the battle at the Harlem Sanitarium, the death of Lt. Drake, all the way to what happened after Hammerhead's "final" night...

* * *

 _12 hours ago..._

A day has passed since the death of crime boss Hammerhead. A day since he was murdered by Commissioner Yuriko Watanabe in cold blood. Despite Spider-Man's efforts, Hammerhead still perished. Worse, Yuri pulled the trigger in front of her fellow police officers. The look on her face upon realizing what she did in front of her men, it only spelled trouble. For Yuri. For the NYPD. For New York. For Spider-Man.

And now, here she is. Locked up in the interrogation room at the Chinatown precinct. Cuffed to the table. Nothing but a tremendous amount of anger on her face.

The only ones in the room with her are Detective Jean DeWolff and Officer Harrison.

"I'm sorry, Yuri," DeWolff apologized. "But you broke protocol by killing Hammerhead. Not even a police commissioner can get away with that."

Yuri didn't say a word.

"Spider-Man's called you like fifteen times in the past twenty-four hours, just so you know," DeWolff mentioned, looking at the notifications on Yuri's phone.

Still no word from Yuri.

"Yuri, I'm trying to help you," said DeWolff. "Just talk to me. You're not just my boss. You're my friend."

Yuri remained silent.

"Face it, she won't talk," said Officer Harrison. "She won't eat. She won't sleep. And she's had that scary look on her face since the whole Hammerhead thing."

"Just please tell me no one leaked the info of her shooting him in the head," DeWolff hoped.

"As far as the media knows, Hammerhead was killed in a shootout with the police," said Harrison.

"Good," said DeWolff. "We don't need the media getting riled up until she gets help or..."

"She gets thrown off the force," Harrison said worriedly.

"No way we're letting it come to that," said DeWolff.

DeWolff faced her friend again. She still won't talk.

"Look, Yuri, I can't guarantee you an easy way to get out of going to prison, but I can promise you help," said DeWolff. "You remember Emilia Walters, right? She was a friend of mine since we were kids. When she was killed by the Maggia, I was broken. Then I found a psychiatrist who helped me through it. Her name's Karla Sofen. Her methods are a little different from your typical therapist, but she's the reason I'm still a Detective..."

Yuri still won't say anything.

"Damn it, Yuri!" DeWolff cursed, fed up with Yuri's attitude. "You're about to be sent to Ryker's for murder. Hammerhead was scum, I agree, but that doesn't mean we can just let you get away with this."

An officer entered the interrogation room to tell Harrison something. He passed the news to DeWolff, via whispering. Yuri didn't even look interested at what they're talking about. She just sat there, still angry.

"Well, we got good news for you, Yuri. Your favorite Friendly Neighborhood vigilante is coming for a visit," said DeWolff. "If you won't talk to me, maybe you'll take to him."

* * *

 _Back to the Present_

"Spider-Man," Karla said she jotted down some notes. "He seems to have become quite an integral part in your life."

"Believe me, I didn't want that," said Yuri.

"I need you to level with me here," said Karla. "What exactly is your relationship with Spider-Man?"

Yuri tensed up. "If you think those rumors are true..."

"I don't," said Karla. "Not the ones about a clandestine affair, at least. I meant, what exactly is he to you? What do you think about him?"

"He's... he's..." Yuri struggled to find the right words. After a sigh, she says, "He's the best person I've ever met, and I haven't met a lot of good people in my life. My mother included." That last part was said with sarcasm with a hint of honesty in it. "Once upon a time, I thought he was just some masked troublemaker."

"But?" Karla asked.

"He's just a man who wants to help," Yuri continued.

"Do you know who he is?" asked Karla.

"No, I don't," Yuri answered.

"Then how are you certain he's who he claims to be?" asked Karla.

"Anti-Spider-Man, doc?" Yuri questioned.

"I'm just a professional, Commissioner," said Karla. "Then again, your background does make it believable you would come to rely on him."

"I only rely on him when the situation requires it," said Yuri.

"Off topic. Let's keep going," said Karla. "You say you murdered Hammerhead and then Spider-Man decided to visit you at the precinct. Given his supposed friendly nature, I assume he wasn't pleased with what you did."

Yuri hangs her head in shame as she remembers what happened in the interrogation room.

* * *

 _12 hours ago..._

Spider-Man walks into the precinct. All eyes were on him. Then again, besides the fact that he's New York's favorite superhero, he's wearing a colorful suit that would make him stand out just about anywhere, except maybe a Halloween party where everyone thought he was just another cosplayer. But Spider-Man wasn't in the mood for casual greetings today. He just wanted to get to the interrogation room to talk to his friend.

"She's in there, Spidey, and she's not really happy," said Officer Harrison.

"I can tell," said Spider-Man. "Thanks for setting this up, by the way. I really needed this."

"Hey, after all you've done for this city, this is least I can do," said Harrison.

"Hope you have better luck in there than we did. She wouldn't say word," said DeWolff.

Spider-Man enters the interrogation room and sits down across Yuri. Several cops watched from the window, eager to hear what he has to say to her. So far, it's just silence. But knowing Spidey, that silence would end soon.

"So, uh, I called... like fifteen times," Spider-Man started. "Why didn't you answer?"

Even now, Yuri refuses to speak a single word.

"Yuri, I just wanted to make sure you're okay," said Spider-Man. "After what I saw yesterday, I just had to be sure."

Nothing, again.

"C'mon, Yuri. I had to ask Harrison a favor just to be here," said Spider-Man. "I just want to help. I mean, we're friends, aren't we?"

"For the love of God, Spider-Man, just shut up," Yuri said with soft anger.

Well, that's a surprise. Yuri finally spoke.

"Okay, no need for the attitude," Spider-Man said calmly.

"I know what you're gonna say, and I don't need to hear it," said Yuri. "I have no regrets for what I did."

"You can't meant that," Spider-Man hoped.

"Do I look like I don't mean it?" Yuri questioned, glaring daggers at the superhero. "After everything, you still refuse to accept it."

"The Yuri Watanabe I know may be a hothead and a killjoy, but she was... is... always a good cop," said Spider-Man. "What I saw yesterday, I don't recognize her. I get that Hammerhead pushed you. I get that watching your men die in front of you can do things to your emotions, but after everything you did... I refuse to believe that's who you are."

"Well, welcome to the real world, Spider-Man. Even the best people can lose it completely," said Yuri. "We're not all happy-go-lucky like you."

"Yuri, please. I'm here to help you," said Spider-Man. "We've helped each other too many times for our relationship to be like this. I just don't want you to understand the consequences of your actions so you can save yourself."

"I'm fully aware of the consequences, Spider-Man," said Yuri. "When the NYPD decide to reveal that they covered up Hammerhead's murderer, I'll be put on trial and then I'll be sent to Ryker's."

"But you don't care as long as Hammerhead is dead?" Spider-Man questioned.

"You think I feel content about all this?" Yuri replied furiously. "Maybe I lost it yesterday, but I did what I did. Why, are you gonna feel threatened by the force if I'm not around?"

"We both know I'd do this job with or without help from the police," said Spider-Man. "But this isn't about me. It's about you. I just don't want to see you make yourself miserable, that's all."

"Get out of here, Spider-Man," Yuri growled. "Get out."

Spider-Man just sat there, staring at her with shock.

"GET OUT!" Yuri shouted.

Spider-Man flinched and quickly stood up from the chair. The officers watching had the same reaction. They've seen Yuri lose her cool before, but not like this. Last night was horrific, and today was almost as.

"If you need help, just call me," said Spider-Man. "There's plenty of time before it's over."

Spider-Man exits the interrogation room. What he didn't see due to his departure was Yuri shedding a tear. Yuri wiped it off her face and wondered why. She knew she was angry, but her eyes watering was something she didn't expect to feel. What she also didn't expect was saying a word in Spider-Man's presence. She wanted to ignore him like she ignored DeWolff and Harrison, but she didn't. Was she just annoyed with him, or was it something else?

Before Spider-Man left the precinct, DeWolff and Harrison spoke to him.

"I'm sorry, Spidey," Harrison apologized. "She's always been difficult, but this... this is new. Not the good kind."

"Still, we appreciate you trying to help, Spider-Man," said DeWolff. "I'll call you if we make progress... or not. Hopefully not the latter."

"Thank you," said Spider-Man.

"You really care a lot about the Commissioner, huh?" Harrison asked.

"I look out for everyone, Harrison. Friend or foe, fan or hater. Everyone," said Spider-Man. "Besides, how can I not care about Yuri? She's very... Yuri."

* * *

 _Back to the Present_

Yuri began shedding another tear when she relived that conversation with Spider-Man in the interrogation room. She quickly wipes it off as Karla continues to process all the information being given to her.

"It seems you're more than just quite fond of him," said Karla.

"Let's not go through this, please," Yuri pleaded.

"Commissioner, you just confessed about your secret partnership with Spider-Man. That speaks volumes," said Karla.

"Volumes of what?" asked Yuri.

"About how his presence in your life impacts you emotionally," said Karla. "You were so angry at your father for his corruption, you felt vengeful after Tombstone killed Teddy Rangel, but when it comes to Spider-Man, you are your best person."

"Not at the moment," Yuri said sadly.

"But it's not his fault," said Karla. "It's Hammerhead's."

"Well, he's not here to hurt me or anyone anymore," said Yuri.

"Okay, Commissioner, let me ask you something," said Karla. "If Spider-Man had successfully stopped you from killing Hammerhead, what would you have felt towards him?"

"This isn't about Spider-Man, Karla," said Yuri.

"No, but he seems to be as big a factor in all this as your father," said Karla. "I know how your father actions shaped you. You did your best to make up for his mistakes. But I don't fully understand why you refuse Spider-Man's aid. Based on your story and his reputation, it sounds like he's hellbent on saving you."

"That's some language, doctor," Yuri commented.

"Commissioner, please, try to cooperate," said Karla.

"How about I move on to the rest of the story and we stop talking about Spider-Man?" Yuri interrupted.

Karla jots down more notes and reads them out loud on purpose. She says, "Dodges questions about Spider-Man, probably because of insecure feelings towards the subject matter, possibly repressed emotions that she is either too shy or too uncertain to express."

"Okay, I can see what Jean means by you being a different kind of therapist," said Yuri. "Are you trying to push me, doctor? Because if you've been paying attention, you know that's not gonna end well."

"In this job, I've only met a few people who keep their truest feelings buried and they still come to see me after a dozen sessions. My job is to learn everything in order to find the best solution," said Karla. "Now, the rest of the story, you said?"

* * *

 _10 hours ago..._

Detective DeWolff drives the still cuffed Yuri to City Hall. Apparently, the new mayor of New York, Ophelia Sarkissian, called for a private meeting with the NYPD's Commissioner. Spider-Man followed the car, but kept his distance. Yuri has been watching him follow her, but she didn't do anything about. She just looked up. DeWolff uncuffed her before letting her go inside.

"Please try to be nice," DeWolff pleaded.

"It's the mayor. Being nice is all I can try to be," said Yuri.

"Careful. You know Mayor Sarkissian like to take the whole tough mayor act to a new level," said DeWolff.

Yuri walks inside and is escorted to the mayor's office. Staring out the window is Mayor Ophelia Sarkissian herself. 40 years old. Half-American, Half-Russian. Grew up in Russia. Studied high school and college in the US. Well-known for being a hard-nosed, tough-minded politician. Ask J. Jonah Jameson what he thinks of her and he'll say he has met his match.

"Commissioner Watanabe," Ophelia greeted, as she remained staring out the window.

"If this is going where I think it's going, you can remove _Commissioner_ from my name," said Yuri.

"First of all, I'd like to congratulate you on eliminating Hammerhead from the streets," said Ophelia.

"I thought murdering a downed suspect was illegal," said Yuri.

"It is, but I admire your zeal, Commissioner," said Ophelia. "Unfortunately, I cannot just let this one slide. The NYPD lied to the media about the circumstances surrounding Hammerhead's demise, and that will not bode well for the public. If word ever got out and the people realize I knew, it would be bad for both myself and the police force."

"So, what are you saying? Should I tell the media that the NYPD lied?" asked Yuri.

"No," said Ophelia. "You're going to do something for me and for this city. Then maybe we can consider keeping up appearances."

"Deception?" Yuri questioned, appalled. "That's low, Madame Mayor, even for someone with your reputation."

"Well, we both know reputation doesn't tell the full story," said Ophelia. "You want to keep your job?"

"I... I... I don't know. Being a police officer is all I ever wanted," said Yuri, unsure. "But now... I'm not sure."

"But would you prefer that to a stained reputation?" asked Ophelia.

"I guess so," said Yuri. "What do you want?"

"Spider-Man," Ophelia answered. "Arrest him and I won't tell anyone about your secret partnership with him."

Yuri stepped back in shock. "What?!"

Ophelia chuckles in an unsettling way as she turns around to look at Yuri in the eye.

"Oh, please, Yuri. It's so obvious that you feed him information that your fellow officers gather," said Ophelia. "Well, obvious to those who open their eyes wide enough. What your colleagues think as infatuation is really just a clandestine alliance. And as you know, consorting with vigilantes is against the law. I don't have to reveal to the public that you killed Hammerhead in cold blood. I can have you thrown to Ryker's just for associating yourself with a vigilante."

"Who are you?" Yuri asked, confused and afraid. Afraid of the new mayor.

"What's it going to be, Commissioner? You have to decide what's more important," said Ophelia. "Your job or Spider-Man? I'm giving you until midnight to make your final decision. Spider-Man unmasked and in cuffs or you in a prisoner's jumpsuit?"

* * *

 _Back to the Present_

"The mayor blackmailed you?" Karla asked cynically, finding this story hard to believe.

"You weren't in that office, doctor. I know what I heard," said Yuri.

"And that's why you're here? For me to help you make a final decision?" asked Karla.

"No," said Yuri. "I did make my decision before now. At least, what I thought was the right one."

"Well, I didn't hear about Spider-Man's arrest or the revelation of your secret partnership on the news," said Karla.

"I didn't get to finish," said Yuri. "What I had to do, I had to break even more rules, hurt people who didn't deserve it."

"Care to elaborate?" asked Karla. "I know it's hard, but..."

"You need everything, I know," Yuri interrupted.

* * *

 _3 hours ago..._

Mary Jane Watson was just doing some research and writing in her apartment. Her brown leather jacket was a little singed, however. Long story short, she had another run-in with the Maggia and an explosion happened. She was barely out of the blast radius when it happened, hence the slightly singed jacket. Well, at least she got her story. The Maggia Dons may be under police custody, but their men are still scattered around the city.

"Another close call, Agent SP, but we're so close to burying the Maggia completely," MJ said to her plushie.

She petted the plushie on the head.

"After this, I think you could use a vacation," said MJ. "The more I use you, the more the criminals become aware of my M.O. Well, aware of some mysterious snooper's M.O. Don't worry. I have my trusty stun gun with me."

Someone knocked on the door. MJ opens the door and finds Yuri... pointing a gun at her.

"Keep your mouth shut or I make noise," Yuri threatened.

MJ puts her hands up and steps back as Yuri enters the apartment. Yuri closes the door with one hand while holding her gun tightly with the other.

"If this is about the recent explosion at a Maggia hideout, they started it," said MJ.

Yuri reaches into her jacket and pulls out a newspaper, which she angrily throws down on the desk. "The Watanabe Legacy" it said.

"You exposed my father's crimes to the entire city!" Yuri said furiously.

"The people have the right to know what needs to be known, Commissioner," said MJ. "It's not like it's hurting you."

"That's what you think," said Yuri. "I have been trying to clean my family's name for years by bringing down the Maggia, and what you just told all of New York will jeopardize me, destroy my career."

"If anything, you already did that to yourself. Spider-Man told me about what really happened with Hammerhead," said MJ.

"Of course he did," Yuri said, not surprised considering MJ's relationship with the web-headed superhero. "Hand over your phone. Now!"

Not wishing to infuriate Yuri further, MJ reaches for her phone, if slowly. Unfortunately for Yuri, MJ pulled out her stun gun instead.

"Spider-Man eavesdropped on your conversation with the mayor," MJ revealed. "He thinks you'll never turn on him, but now I see that you will. And I'm guessing you're gonna sabotage all essential communications with him so you can take on him without any helping him."

"You're a smart one, Ms. Watson," said Yuri. "Smart enough to know that this gun will put you down before you could even stun me."

"I know," said MJ. "Which is why I'm gonna give you my phone. Just listen to me first."

MJ lowers the stun gun first.

"Spider-Man would lay down his life just to save you. He'd do that for me, for Spider-Boy, for anyone," said MJ. "All he's guilty of is trying to stop you from doing something that would destroy your career. He tried everything he could just to save you."

MJ gives Yuri her phone. Yuri turns around and leaves. Suddenly, MJ takes out a Spider-Lure and activates it, only it didn't make some beeping sound. It made the sound of a very loud alarm. She was trying to get attention.

"I'm sorry, but I can't take any chances," said MJ.

Yuri pistol-whips MJ in the face. Hard, if need to be described. Yuri throws the Spider-Lure to the floor and crushes it, turning off the sound. With the neighbors coming out of their apartments and on their way, Yuri only have one exit.

The window. Yuri shoots the window three times to shatter it. She takes one look at MJ, who was really hurt from the pistol whip. Yuri can't help but feel bad for what she did. Hurting an innocent civilian like that... but she had to move. Right now. She jumps out the window.

"I respect the hell out of Yuri, Pete, but you have to decide whether or not she's worth saving," MJ muttered.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Black Cat had just returned home after another score. Another piece of art for another few hundred dollars. Even though Hammerhead is dead, she's not ready to reveal that she's alive, not until all of the Maggia are dead or behind bars. So, she's gonna have to stay hidden until Spider-Man gives her the all clear. Whether or not she's going to stop being Black Cat after that, that would have to wait.

However, Black Cat returns home to find Yuri Watanabe pointing a Sable gun at her.

"Don't move, Hardy," Yuri threatened.

Black Cat slowly closes the window behind her before putting her hands in the air.

"I guess now I know what happened to Quillo Stryke's stolen art," said Yuri. "Why hide, Hardy? Hammerhead is gone."

"But his men and the Maggia are still out there," said Black Cat. "Gotta be sure it's safe."

"You're really making it hard for me not to tell anyone you're alive," said Yuri.

"Then what are you doing here, Commissioner?" asked Black Cat. "You want to force me to give myself up? What would Spider-Man say?"

"Your phone, now," Yuri ordered.

Black Cat takes out her phone and throws it on her bed for safe landing. Yuri picks it up while Black Cat keeps her hands in the air.

"You got guts for a cop. I can respect that," said Black Cat.

Black Cat quickly uses her claws to smack the gun off Yuri's hands. She kicks Yuri towards a wall. Black Cat pounces, but Yuri protects herself with a Sable energy shield. The gauntlet for the shield, as it turns out, was hidden underneath her sleeve and a glove. She uses the shield to whack Black Cat aside. Yuri then ties her up with Sable's electric bolas (which come from a small hi-tech disk).

"So, you didn't just st-steal a Sable pistol," Black Cat said, impressed despite the pain.

Yuri picks up the thief's phone, which she dropped when she was kicked across the room.

"You think I'm stupid enough to take on the Black Cat without being prepared?" Yuri said.

"I can see why Spider admires you so," said Black Cat.

"Believe me. I'm not worth his admiration," said Yuri. "Good luck getting out of those."

Yuri leaves the apartment. Black Cat just struggles as the bolas electrocute her. Soon enough, she is shocked into unconsciousness. The bolas stopped electrocuting her once she passed out.

* * *

 _Back to the Present_

"Okay, let me get this straight. The Black Cat is alive?" Karla asked, once again finding it unable to believe something so unbelievable.

"Don't even ask. I don't even know how it's possible," said Yuri.

"And you keep her pseudocide a secret, why?" asked Karla.

"Spider-Man," Yuri answered.

"And once again, Spider-Man pops up in our conversation," said Karla. "Has he taken over your life that much?"

"What are you insinuating, doctor?" asked Yuri. "That I'm just some helpless damsel who always needs her knight in shining spandex?"

"I am insinuating something, but that's not it," said Karla. "Why don't we just continue with the story? Well, assuming it's not finished."

"Well, here comes the most important part of the story," said Yuri.

* * *

 _2 hours ago..._

Spider-Man has been searching for Yuri all day. He wanted to check up on her after her meeting with the mayor, but since she cut communications with him, he can't find her. He had to stop a few crimes during the search, but the search remains unsuccessful. Fortunately, Yuri contacted him and told him to meet her at one of the Demons' old warehouses. Despite feeling exhausted from swinging and fighting, he immediately headed there.

Upon arrival, he is greeted with a Sable gun to the face. A gun held by Yuri.

"Hands up, Spider-Man," Yuri ordered.

"Uh, April Fool's was three weeks ago," said Spider-Man.

"I said, hands up!" Yuri repeated.

"Okay, okay. If you say so," Spider-Man said as he put his hands up. "Just what is going on here, Yuri?"

"Spider-Man, you are under arrest for multiple counts of vigilantism, multiple counts of breaking and entering, multiple counts of assault, multiple counts of interfering with police business, among other things," said Yuri.

"Does this include impersonating a cop?" Spider-Man joked.

"Turn around! On your knees! Hands behind your head!" Yuri ordered.

Spider-Man turns around, kneels down, and puts his hands behind his head. Yuri starts cuffing him.

"Yuri, what is going on?" asked Spider-Man. "Wait, you're not seriously choosing arresting me, are you?"

"What choice do I have?" Yuri asked. "If Mayor Sarkissian exposes our partnership, it'll be the end of me."

"Yuri, you know why I wear this mask. You can't do this," said Spider-Man.

"Then tell me you recorded the mayor's threat," Yuri hoped.

"Ah, well... no," Spider-Man answered. "I mean, I recorded it on my Spider-Bot, but a pigeon stole it and it got destroyed during our fight. Honestly, I think pigeons are even worse enemies than the Sinister Six."

"Then you're still under arrest," said Yuri.

"Sorry, Yuri, but I can't let you," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man breaks out of the cuffs and jumps away from Yuri. He webs her Sable gun away from her and webs it to the ceiling.

"Yuri, let's think about this," Spider-Man begged. "I know you're angry and desperate, but you can't let that cloud your mind. We can find a way to save both of us."

"I was hoping we'd do this peacefully, but I guess you've left me no choice," said Yuri.

Yuri throws two projectiles on the floor. One at Spider-Man. One right in front of herself. The projectile she threw at Spider-Man was an EMP. The second projectile was a smoke bomb. Both belonged to Black Cat.

"Again with the EMP?!" Spider-Man complained. "Yuri! Yuri! Yuri!"

Spider-Man's Spider Sense goes off, but a second too late. Something long and electric wrapped itself around his stomach like a snake. It dragged him backwards and slammed him to the ground. As the smoke cleared, Spider-Man sees what grabbed him. Yuri was holding what appears to be an energy whip that is awfully familiar with Sable tech.

"Sable's," Yuri explained. "I couldn't come unprepared."

"Jetpacks. Energy shields. Digboys. And now bullwhips that shock people? What's next? Black hole bombs?" Spider-Man complained. "Wait, don't tell Sable I said that."

Yuri grabs the handle of a second whip that was wrapped around her from shoulder to waist. She activates it and it glows, revealing it to be a second energy whip.

"You got two? Sure, why not," Spider-Man complained sarcastically.

"You can still surrender your way out of this," said Yuri.

"Sorry, Yuri, but no can do," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man was prepared this time. Thanks to his agility and Spider Sense, he dodges Yuri's whip attacks, if barely. Yuri swings left and right and even charges forward, but Spider-Man was moving too fast for her. When he jumped up to dodge a wraparound whip attack, Yuri found opportunity. She successfully wrangles Spider-Man, slams him down to the ground, and electrocutes him continuously.

"Surrender and the pain stops," said Yuri.

"Not... a... chance," Spider-Man said determinedly.

Spider-Man breaks out of the whip and jumps to a second floor column, trying to stay far away from Yuri.

"You're holding back, as always," said Yuri. "All that power and you don't use it."

"It's what separates me from the criminals," said Spider-Man.

"You think criminals will be afraid of fair play? No," said Yuri. "That's why I did what I did. Fear and violence are the languages they understand. I gave them the fear."

"By killing them?" Spider-Man questioned. "You're a cop, Yuri. You shouldn't be like this. Can't be like this."

"Maybe it's who I've always been," Yuri muttered with consternation.

Spider-Man thinks he has advantage due to distance. However, Yuri did something he didn't expect. She whipped the two whips together, sending a wave of energy straight towards him. He dodged it, but the blast destroyed the column. Good thing the building is still standing.

"Where did you learn that?" asked Spider-Man.

"I didn't," said Yuri. "You have a skylight right above you. Perfect chance to escape, isn't it? Why aren't you taking it?"

"Because I'm not leaving until I talk you out of this," said Yuri.

"Good thing I over-prepared," said Yuri.

Yuri throws a disc towards Spider-Man. It released electric bolas, but they got webbed away. It wasn't Spider-Man. It was his protege, Spider-Boy.

"Sorry I'm late," said Spider-Boy. "MJ told me to find you."

"So much for trying to take out my contacts, Yuri," Spider-Man boasted.

"Well, I didn't know his secret identity, so I thought I'd finish this quickly, just you and me," said Yuri.

"I was watching the last thirty seconds of the fight. Spider-Man, just web her up and be done with it," said Spider-Boy.

Spidey-Boy fires a web shot at Yuri, only for the web shot to be blocked by an energy shield.

"She's armed with Sable tech," said Spider-Man.

"Okay, so this may not be easy," said Spider-Boy.

Yuri did the same trick she pulled earlier, slapping her whips against each other to create an energy blast. Spider-Boy gets hit and crashes into a pile of heavy metal parts, getting knocked out.

"Mi... Spider-Boy!" Spider-Man cried. "Yuri, stop!"

Yuri didn't. She whips Spider-Man in the leg, seriously injuring it. She wraps her whip around his other leg, electrocutes him, and pulls him closer.

"Yuri... stop... please!" Spider-Man begged.

"What do you want me to do?" Yuri shouted. "Your girlfriend ruined me more than I already am. What else can I do? Besides, I did warn you to stay out of my way."

"What's happened to you, Yuri?" asked Spider-Man. "I've never seen you like this before."

"Maybe I'm starting to realize who I really am," said Yuri.

"Yuri, please," Spider-Man begged. "You turn me in, you put MJ and everyone else I love in danger. Do you want that on your conscience? You always put the people first. That's why you're one of the best, and I want to believe that you still are. Please, Yuri. We've been through thick and thin and we've never given up on each other. I know Hammerhead pushed you to your breaking point, but we can all escape from that. You did it with Tombstone."

"That was different," Yuri snarled.

"No, it's not," said Spider-Man.

"Tombstone took the man I loved away from me. Hammerhead stained my family's name," said Yuri. "And he killed my men in front of me, made sure I watched. I can't just ignore how I feel about that."

"Then go ahead," Spider-Man gave up. "You wanna arrest me? Then arrest me. But first, let me ask you. Are you willing to sacrifice your whole life and become what you hate?"

That question hit Yuri really hard in the head, metaphorically speaking. Despite her vendetta against Hammerhead, she always put her duty above everything. The safety of the city. Keeping it safe from criminals. What she did at The Bar With No Name and what she did to Hammerhead in front of her men... how is she any better?

Yuri growls in anger as she releases Spider-Man.

Deciding she needs time to breath, Spider-Man checks on his sidekick. He just woke up.

"Okay, I feel like I was thrown from a dozen feet to a brick wall," Spider-Boy complained. "I should've seen that coming."

"That's the thing about our Spider Sense. It's unpredictable at times," said Spider-Man.

"Well, now what?" asked Spider-Boy. "I mean, what are we..."

Spider-Boy stopped because Yuri was no longer in the warehouse. In fact, Yuri was running away. She was so angry at herself and at Spider-Man to stick around for a pep talk. As soon as she was streets away, she slowed down. She decided to call DeWolff.

"Jean, about that psychiatrist you mentioned," she started.

* * *

 _Back to the Present_

"So, you actually managed to hold yourself well in a fight against Spider-Man?" Karla asked, once again barely able to suspend her disbelief. "I mean, you were armed with Sable weapons, but still..."

"That's the thing about Spider-Man. He may be almost all-powerful, but he's too much of a gentleman," said Yuri. "He doesn't hit girls, for one thing. Lucky me."

"Yeah, lucky you," said Karla. "I can't understand how someone can do that to someone who they consider a friend."

"Excuse me?" Yuri questioned.

"You're insane, Commissioner," Karla said judgmentally. "You make the choice to arrest him despite all the support he has given you. That's pathetic, if you ask me."

"What kind of a psychiatrist are you, doctor?" Yuri asked.

"I'm just saying, I've met some people who have done some unspeakable things, but never at this level, especially to someone they claim to care very much about," said Karla. "You don't need a psychiatrist, Commissioner. You need a mental institute. In fact, I'll make some calls..."

"STOP IT!" Yuri shouted as she stood up. "I do care about him, no matter how much I tried not to. I'd give up my badge for him if I have to. He's by millions a better person than I ever was. I don't deserve his respect, nor does he deserve mine. And I... I..."

Karla had a satisfied smile on her face.

"I shouldn't let my negative feelings affect how I feel about him," Yuri realized. "You were trying to push me, weren't you?"

"Detective DeWolff did warn you about me, didn't she?" Karla asked. "Now, I can't make your choice for you, Commissioner. You can only make that for yourself. You just have to ask yourself what you think is right."

Yuri thinks for a moment.

"I think I already know," said Yuri.

* * *

Yuri comes barging into City Hall by simply punching security in the face. She storms into the mayor's office where Mayor Sarkissian is busy with a phone call. The mayor had to put her caller on hold so she can talk to Yuri.

"Commissioner Watanabe, I'll have you know it's rude to intrude on someone..."

Ophelia is cut off when Yuri tossed her Commissioner's badge on the her desk.

"I'm not the Commissioner anymore," said Yuri.

"And is that your final choice?" asked Ophelia. "Or did Spider-Man evade you and force you to make this choice?"

"Listen to me and listen to me good, Madame Mayor," Yuri said bitterly. "You can expose all the dirt you have on me, but I don't care. I thought I belonged in the NYPD, but recent events have made it clear that is no longer true. I'm resigning and that's final. But keep this in mind, if you ever threaten me again, I'll be coming for you."

"Threatening the mayor, Commissioner? Maybe you really have lost it," said Ophelia.

"Have a good evening, Madame Mayor," said Yuri.

Yuri leaves the room. A security guard gets in her way, but she just punches him in the face. Ophelia, meanwhile, returns to her phone call.

"I'm sorry about cutting you off, Strucker. Mayoral duties and all," said Ophelia. "Watanabe failed to bring in Spider-Man, so Project: Arachnia will have to be delayed. Until then, just focus on locating Zemo. He and I have some unfinished business."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Yuri leaves City Hall thinking about what she just did. She did what she felt was right. Given her behavior during the Hammerhead-related madness, she was no longer fit to be a police office of any kind. But more importantly, she chose not to arrest the one person she has trusted the city's protection with. Speaking of that person, he is calling her right now.

 _"Thank you," Spider-Man said._

"I didn't just do it for you," said Yuri. "But... you're welcome."

 _"It's too bad we don't have proof to show the city that Sarkissian is not what she seems," said Spider-Man._

"Ignore her. For now, at least," said Yuri. "Right now, I just wanna go home to my mom. As much as she bugs me, I could really use her company."

 _"Hey, uh, mind if I give you a swing home?" Spider-Man offered._

"Okay, tell me you're joking," Yuri blushed.

"I'm serious," said Spider-Man. "Besides, traffic's rough tonight. I know, I checked. I'm sure you won't mind an uninterrupted ride home."

"You just really want to give me this ride, don't you?" Yuri guessed.

 _"Hey, I've given MJ and Sable a ride. Only fair I give one of my favorite girls a taste of the best transportation in town," said Spider-Man. "Plus, I just want to know if we're still good."_

* * *

As much as she didn't want to, Yuri accepted the offer. She would soon come to regret that as her first few seconds on the ride were quite scary. Screaming quite a lot as she tried to hold on to the vigilante, who kept losing balance because of how much she's moving. They almost crashed onto a truck. Almost, being the key word. Spider-Man managed to stay in the air with Yuri trying to hold on tightly.

"I hate you so much," Yuri shouted loudly.

"Aw, I love you, too," Spider-Man said jokingly.

Yuri calmed down a little bit when Spider-Man put one arm around her to keep her safe. That meant he had to swing with one hand. Nothing new, though. He's done this before with MJ, even if she's already used to this. Yuri, however, felt a little more uncomfortable with the extra physical contact, as if wrapping her arms around him for a long time wasn't emotionally uncomfortable enough. _Good thing mom isn't seeing this_ , Yuri thought.

"If that wasn't so... death-defying... it's actually kinda fun," Yuri admitted. "Just don't do any tricks, please."

"No tricks. Got it," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man did as he promised. No tricks. Soon enough, Yuri stopped panicking and actually tried to live the moment. She's still too scared of falling, but she was definitely feeling the thrill. She's beginning to see why MJ and Silver seem to enjoy this. The wind in your face, the adrenaline, and Spider-Man's presence, it all resulted in one exhilarating experience. She still held on tight, but she felt more relaxed as the swing continued. Spider-Man was being slow and gentle as well being bold enough to try speeding up a little and sharing the experience of zipping past building to building from great heights. Yuri looks up to experience seeing the stars in a new and different way.

Spider-Man smiled under the mask as he swung through the bright lights of the Manhattan. Yuri rests her head on the wall crawler's shoulder as she looks down at the city that she loves. A no-nonsense cop like her would never have truly appreciated Manhattan's beauty without getting a ride from the one and only Spider-Man. The feeling of embarrassment passed as Yuri secretly enjoyed the rest of the ride. Spider-Man caught her by surprised when he had to run on a wall after a sharp turn, but she remained equally relaxed and excited.

"Thank you," Yuri said softly.

"For what?" asked Spider-Man.

"Just thank you," Yuri said. "And I'm sorry about your sidekick."

"He's fine," said Spider-Man. "His head hurts, though."

Spider-Man made it to the roof of the apartment building where Yuri's mother lives. He gently sets Yuri down as she tries to recover from the fright of the swing. As frightening as it was, it was truly a breathtaking experience. Yuri just won't tell him that.

"I still think we could've saved your job," said Spider-Man.

"Forget it," said Yuri. "I don't need you to coddle me, not anymore. I did what I thought was right."

"I'll miss you," said Spider-Man. "I mean, I really will. Meeting up at crime scenes, you reprimanding me about property damage, Spider-Cop... he'll miss you more than I will."

"To be honest, I'll miss him too," said Yuri.

"But we can still help each other, if you're feeling up to the lifestyle of a vigilante, that is," said Spider-Man. "I know you still want to help this city, so..."

"Stop," Yuri interrupted, sounding angry now. "Just stop, Spider-Man."

"Whoa, what's with the sudden 180?" Spider-Man asked.

"It's been a honor fighting with you for all these years," Yuri started. "But we're no longer on the same side. Just because what I did was wrong, it doesn't mean I'm wrong about criminals. Look around you. This city is still infested with crime even with you around. If I had to do what I did to Hammerhead to anyone who deserved it, I would."

"Yuri, you can't... I mean... you can't," Spider-Man said, shocked.

"I do mean it," said Yuri. "Don't worry, though. I'm no longer a police officer, so I won't be doing any crime-fighting. But you and me, we're done."

"But Yuri..."

"We're done," Yuri insisted. "Thanks for the swing, but you and I, we're over. No more phone calls, no more rendezvous, no more casual hellos. We're done."

Yuri walks into the building, leaving a sullen Spider-Man to sulk. He was in no mood for air tricks or Spider-Cop right now. That's just how down he feels about all this. As he swings off the building, he gets a phone call. It was MJ, whose phone was returned to her by Yuri before the ex-commissioner confronted the mayor.

 _"Hey, Pete," MJ greeted. "Just testing my phone, making sure it's not damaged or anything. Is it good?"_

"Yeah, I can hear you just fine," Spider-Man said sorrowfully.

 _"Are you okay?" MJ asked, noticing his somber tone. "Is this about Yuri? What happened?"_

"I think I just got dumped," Spider-Man said sadly.

 **This may cause some complications when I try to integrate Silver Lining into my story, but here we are. Yuri may have made the right choice, but she's still too deep in her own darkness. If it wasn't for Turf Wars, Yuri's career as Commissioner and descent to darkness would be a lot different in my story, but I made the choice to follow the DLCs, all because I love the story.**

 **So, what do you think (about the chapter)?**

 **I'll be posting another Normal Day in New York chapter soon, and then Chapter 21 will be based on the Silver Lining DLC, depending on when it comes out and if Silver Sable is the "silver" in the title.**


	20. Another Day in New York, Episode 4

**I'm sorry that it's been a while but between a demanding real-life schedule and a passion project Christmas fic of mine, I had to push all of my top-priority stories (this one being one of them) aside for a while.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for the most recent reviews: IanAlphaAxel, kival737101, mastergamer14, gammaxmen80, Redwall, josephguy217, VenomSpawn54, K2-Black-Panther, Zoe, VirtualGuildKnight**

 ** _To mastergamer14_: I don't know about introducing Jessica Drew (I have only seen her in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2), but I do remember introducing a character a few chapters ago who is destined to have spider powers.**

 ** _To Nakaru Uzumaki (Chapter 2 review)_: My bad. That was a mistake. Fixed it. Thank you for pointing it out.**

 ** _To Ghost (Chapter 3 review)_: I'm trying.**

 ** _To K2-Black-Panther_: Well, Hammerhead broke Yuri. I was not gonna ignore that, even if it would make things worse, such as hurting MJ and fighting Spidey. Even if Spidey and Yuri can be friends again, that may take time (A LOT of time, otherwise their falling out will be all for nothing). And yeah, I plan on doing something with HYDRA.**

 ** _ANOTHER reply to K2-Black-Panther_: Nice to know you're eager to share your story, but this is a little too much.**

 ** _To CG_: I read ALL my reviews. Look, as brutal as this sounds, I don't just "thank" anyone for sending reviews or reply unless it's necessary (I thank reviews that either talk about what I'm writing or say something that triggers a positive reaction in me). I didn't reply to your question because I was already planning on what you've been asking for (the aftermath of Turf Wars concerning Yuri's fate).**

 ** _ANOTHER reply to CG_: I too was surprised by "occurred within a span a few days".**

 ** _To Zoe_: Even now, I'm still working on writing Pete and MJ's love story. It's sad that I can do more with Pete and the other women in his life (Yuri and Silver), but I still try my best to remind everyone that Pete and MJ are this universe's power couple. I just need to try harder. I'm still glad you liked the previous chapter and I really appreciate your thoughts on it ("... thrilling, fast-paced, with hella lot of emotion and feelings...").**

 ** _To crawforddarius7_: Well, Spider-Man's always had bad luck with women, friend or romantic interest. Black Cat's a little too "playful" for him, and Silver Sable's an unpredictable wild card. But it's hard not to wonder "What if?". All I can do, unfortunately, is throw in a couple side pairings for the fun of it. I'm almost tempted to write a separate SpideyxSilver story.**

No more Hammerhead, but his crew are still active. They still have more of Sable International's tech to keep their operations alive. A shootout between the SCPD and Hammerhead's crew is currently ongoing at Times Square. Citizens were cleared out. Two police cars and one large truck were greatly damaged. Some of the SCPD officers use Sable energy shields to protect themselves. Silver Sable actually gave the NYPD permission to use Sable tech seized from Hammerhead's crew to even the odds. It was risky, but she knew the police couldn't fight Hammerhead's men with just simple guns. Of course, they had to limit the amount of Sable tech they use. Equipment damage and all. Inevitably, Silver will be coming back to reclaim her tech and weapons.

"These things pack a punch," one officer commented.

"You can geek out later. Just keep shooting," said Detective DeWolff.

DeWolff and her fellow officers keep on shooting. A third of the officers are dead or injured while only a quarter of Hammerhead's crew are down and out permanently. Odds seem to be against the police, until...

A big brute holding a machine gun is glued to one of the crew's trucks by a Trip Mine.

"It's Spider-Man!" A Hammerhead thug shouted.

All eyes look up as Spider-Man swings into the scene. He fires a Suspension Matrix that suspends six Hammerhead thugs in the air. He quickly follows that by webbing up two thugs and dragging them against two other thugs, knocking them out. He finishes the landing with a spinning kick that knocks out another thug.

"Where does he get all this tech?" An officer wondered, wowed by the Suspension Matrix.

"Ask him later. He's distracted them. Keep firing, but make sure Spider-Man is out of your line of range," said DeWolff.

Only twelve Hammerhead thugs remained (and that included the six suspended in the air). Spider-Man had to turn around fast to web-snatch Hammerhead Thug #19's Sable gun away from him. He casually web-throws the Sable gun at Thug #20's face without looking as he webs up Thug #19 completely. He web-zips himself towards Thug #19 and kicks him towards a street light to stick him there. Spider-Man webs up one of the thugs in the air and throws him at Thug #21. Spider-Man uppercuts Thug #20 into the air and strikes with a series of athletic punches and kicks. He ends the aerial attack by kicking Thug #20 to the top of a truck.

While Spider-Man kicked some butt, DeWolff and her fellow officers manage to gun down seven more thugs (five of them being the remaining ones suspended in mid-air).

That just leaves one more thug. He's a brute. Nothing Spider-Man hasn't dealt with before.

"You and your boys picked a bad day to cause trouble," said Spider-Man.

"I'll make it even more bad for you," said the brute.

For some reason, Spider-Man didn't respond with a quip or anything to criticize the thug's grammar mistake. He was in the all-business mood today.

The brute lunges forward in an attempt to grab and strangle Spider-Man, but the superhero dodges him by jumping. He uses the brute's bald head as a boost. He then webs up the brute with nearly a dozen web shots. Unfortunately, the brute breaks out only in a matter of seconds. The brute throws a punch, but Spider-Man dodges it by sliding in between the brute's legs, followed by a double kick to the back. The brute gets up only to get an uppercut to the face. With the brute stunned, Spider-Man webs his face, pulls him down on his knees, and then finishes him with a cartwheel kick to the face.

"Way to go, Spider-Man!" One cop cheered.

A few of his colleagues glared at him or shook their heads in embarrassment. Well, DeWolff and Harrison aren't the only Spidey fans within the police force, after all.

"We could've handled this," said one officer.

"Perhaps, but this city is _his_ home as much as it is ours," said DeWolff.

As the remaining officers cuff Hammerhead's thugs, DeWolff and a few other officers approach Spider-Man, who was pulling Thug #19 off the street light.

"Great work, Spider-Man," said DeWolff.

"I should've been here sooner," Spider-Man said darkly, noticing that a few of the officers are dead.

"It's a war, Spider-Man. It's not meant to be easy, even if it's ugly to say so," said DeWolff.

DeWolff's police radio picked up a transmission from a police officer. It said:

 _"10-50 at a hotel in the Upper West Side. Repeat, a huge fire at a hotel on 71st. Requesting all available officers to the scene."_

"Gotta move fast," Spider-Man said.

Spider-Man quickly swings away. He didn't even say a goodbye of any kind to the police, which was weird. This was confusing DeWolff and her officers. What happened to the usually upbeat web-slinger?

"What's wrong with him?" A female officer asked.

"Isn't it obvious? He misses _her_ ," said DeWolff.

"To think, he'll no longer be meeting Commissioner Watanabe at crime scenes or active police operations," said Officer Harrison. "Can't imagine how hard it is for him."

"Not that I believe the rumors, but were they really that close?" An officer asked.

"He'd wear a badge only if Yuri is the one who gave it to him," DeWolff replied.

* * *

At the Upper West Side, the now ex-commissioner Yuri Watanabe was just walking down the street with this dark look on her face. It's been a week since she resigned as police commissioner to protect Spider-Man from the mayor's mysterious plans. She hasn't found a new job yet, but her mom was more than glad to let her daughter stay with her for the meantime. Yuri felt like a little kid again, living with her mom and being taken care of by her. And don't even get her started on the discussions concerning the rumors about her and Spider-Man. The old woman really wants grandchildren.

Yuri just needed to get away from her mother for a little while.

And then the burning building mentioned earlier came into her view. Firefighters arrive at the scene late as people evacuate the building. Since she's no longer a cop, Yuri decides to just let the firefighters do their job. But then a woman started crying about her daughter, who is still trapped in the building.

"My daughter! My daughter is in there! She's still up there! You gotta help her!" The woman cried and begged.

"We'll find her. Where is she?" A firefighter asked.

"Room 306," the woman answered. "Please, please, save her!"

Yuri didn't want to get involved, but the urge to help was too strong to ignore. _Darn me_ , she cursed. She quickly ran inside to find the woman's daughter. None of the firefights saw her go in, which meant no one will get in her way.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Yuri muttered.

As Yuri ventured into the flaming building, trying to avoid the roaring flames and getting run over by evacuating folks, she started wonder about what she was thinking. The firefighters can handle this, because it's their job. So, why is she getting involved? Well, no turning back now. She got herself into this and she's gonna finish the job. She almost got buried under flaming wood falling from above, but she got lucky every single time. Well, except for one time where she actually had to jump out of the way instead of the rubble landing right in front of her.

"Where are you, kid?" Yuri wondered.

"HELP!"

That came from Room 306. Yuri kicks down the door and finds the daughter, who is about 6 or 7 years old. She's cornered by a huge wall of fire.

"Don't worry. I'm gonna get you out of here," Yuri assured her.

Unfortunately, Yuri couldn't get past the fire without getting killed. She had to put it out. But how? What are the odds she can find any water to use in a burning building? Fortunately, Yuri did find something. Call it convenience, but... a pail full of water in the bathroom, which hasn't caught on fire yet. Yuri uses that to extinguish some of the flames surrounding the girl. She quickly rushes into the narrow space between the flames, grabs the child, and quickly jumps towards the door before the ring of flames becomes complete again.

"Where's my mommy?" The girl asked.

"She's outside," said Yuri. "Don't worry. You'll see her again. I promise."

Yuri runs out of the apartment just before the entrance was blocked by rubble. Just as she was about to run downstairs, the stars get blocked by a falling pile of burning wood. She tried to other stairway, but she got blocked again by fire. With the elevator out of commission, there was only one way to get out.

The window... or at least use it to attract attention.

Yuri looks out to see if she can land safely if she attempts to try this. She elbows the window open, scratching her elbow in the process. The little girl sees her mother in the crowd and shouts.

"Mommy!"

The little girl's cry was heard by everyone. Firemen quickly rushed inside to get to Yuri and the girl, but all the stairs are blocked by fire. Worse, the ceiling was beginning to collapse around Yuri and the girl.

Surrounded by fire with the ceiling directly above them about to bury them in a few seconds, Yuri had no choice but to jump out the window with the girl in her arms. The little girl screams as Yuri turns her body towards the ground. She would rather be the one suffering a hard landing instead of the girl. The firemen rush towards where they were about to land. But then...

Spider-Man swings out of nowhere and catches Yuri. Cue the gasps and cheers from the crowd. He lands gently and lets the little girl run back towards her mother. Yuri, however, was not looking so good. She injured her own head smashing the window when she jumped out of it. Good thing the paramedics just arrived. The firemen take Yuri to the medics for treatment. Spider-Man stayed to help those who are still trapped in the building, but also to check on Yuri. Trapped civilians first, of course.

Afterwards, Spider-Man had to greet some fans and take some selfies with them. When he finally had time away from the crowd, he approached the ex-police commissioner. She had a few cuts on her head, but nothing some bandages can't solve. She did, however, suffer from concussion-like symptoms. Her head hurts and she looks like she was about to pass out.

"You doing okay, Yuri?" Spider-Man asked.

Yuri looked at him, but she didn't say a word. She made it clear last week that she didn't want to speak to him anymore. Yet, here they are. Fate is cruel, you know.

"That was very brave of you, going in there despite all the fire just to save a little girl," said Spider-Man.

"Well, you weren't around so someone had to do it," said Yuri.

"Can't stay away from the hero game, huh?" Spider-Man asked lightheartedly.

Yuri didn't respond to that.

"So, uh, how's your mom?" Spider-Man asked casually.

"Fine," Yuri answered simply.

"Non-police life treating you well?" Spider-Man asked.

"It's only been 7 days," said Yuri.

"You know, I could help you find a job," Spider-Man offered. "I mean, I owe you."

"You don't owe me. I'm the one who quit," Yuri reminded him.

"Yeah, but the offer still stands," said Spider-Man.

"Don't you have more superhero-ing to do?" Yuri replied rudely as she turned away.

Spider-Man decided not to bother her anymore. She was dead serious about wanting to stay away from him. The best he can do is keep his distance and only interact with her if she ever needed saving. Okay, that probably sounds like stalker-ish behavior, but he had a good reason for wanting to keep her safe.

"Take care of yourself, Yuri," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man swings away, leaving Yuri to recover and think about how she's behaving towards the web-slinger. He did absolutely nothing wrong to her, yet she treats him like she hates him or something. And that's not true. While she now distances herself from him because of their difference in beliefs concerning how criminals should be dealt with, she still admires him.

* * *

Peter shows up at the Daily Bugle to look for MJ. She wasn't answering his calls or voice messages. Being arguably the greatest photographer to work in the Bugle, Peter was greeted by plenty of smiles and waves from the building's employees. Besides, he is the person famous for not just taking picture of Spider-Man but also being the one whose name gets shouted constantly by the infamous J. Jonah Jameson. Whenever Peter is in the building and Jameson needs to see him, you will be able to the hear the oh-so famous "PARKER!"

"Hey, Parker. Long time no see," Eddie Brock greeted him.

"Hey, Eddie," Peter greeted.

"Hey, Pete," Betty Brant greeted.

"You here looking for your girl, Parker?" Eddie guessed.

"Actually, yeah," said Peter.

"Well, she's not at her desk," said Betty.

"I can see that," said Peter.

"You should ask Robbie. Maybe he sent her on an assignment," said Betty.

" _If_ she's even doing the assignment he gave her," said Eddie. "Better hope Spider-Man saves her. Again."

"Oh, you have no idea how much she hates being the damsel in distress," said Peter.

"No girl wants to be that," said Betty. "But what MJ does helps the Bugle a lot. I guess we should be thankful Spider-Man saves her all the time."

"Why do you think that is?" Eddie wondered. "Is it coincidence or do they got some thing going on?"

"I'm the boyfriend, Eddie, and I can confirm she and Spider-Man are just sorta friends," said Peter.

"If you say so, Parker," Eddie said sarcastically. "Although, let's be honest. Peter Parker or Spider-Man? I think 100% of all girls would pick you-know-who."

"I _so_ missed you, Eddie," Peter said sarcastically and insincerely.

Peter walks into the chief editor's office. It feels weird walking into the office to see Robbie sitting on Jameson's desk. But at the same time, it's a relief. As much as Peter _enjoys_ listening to Jameson's show, he definitely does not miss seeing him in person. Well, other than to brag if ever Triple J finally admitted that Spider-Man is the hero that New York needs. Too bad the chances of that happening are about as high as pigs flying through natural evolution instead of scientific means.

"Hey, Robbie," Peter greeted.

"Peter, hey," Robbie greeted. "I assume you're not here to ask for a job."

"Considering it, but I'm actually here to see MJ," said Peter. "She wouldn't answer my calls so I thought I'd ask if you knew where she is."

"I do, actually," said Robbie. "She's investigating a eyewitness to the Maggia's more clandestine operations. I seriously hate myself for feeding her ego."

"Well, that's MJ for you. When she makes it 115% clear she's never gonna take no for an answer, you're forced to just roll with her antics," said Peter.

"So, you're saying you're considering coming back to work here?" asked Robbie.

"Well, my career as a cook isn't looking too bright so I thought I might as well make some easy money until I find a permanent job," said Peter. "Whatever pays the rent, you know. Just don't ask me to take pictures of Spider-Man."

"Who do I like? Jameson?" Robbie joked.

"Grow a mustache and maybe you will," Peter joked. "Anyway, just call me if MJ..."

"I'm here!"

That was MJ, rushing into Robbie's office with an excited look on her face... and a bandaged left hand. That was the first thing Peter and Robbie noticed, so MJ immediately answered the question coming from their eyeballs.

"I fell down a scaffolding," MJ explained. "But I got an interview with the eyewitness. Another Maggia goon is going in the slammer."

"I'm almost tempted to triple your raise," Robbie said happily.

"Oh, hey, Pete," MJ greeted her boyfriend. "What are you doing here?"

"Asking if you'd like to hang out tonight," said Peter. "A-A-Assuming you're free, that is."

"Robbie?" MJ asked.

"Go on ahead. You deserve a night off," said Robbie.

"Then I guess I'm free," MJ said to her boyfriend.

Suddenly, the phones of Peter, MJ, and Robbie beeped at the same time. That's because Jameson's got a new episode out. Yup, apparently Robbie listens to it. He's no fan of Jameson's podcast, but he respect the man... to an extent.

 _"Now, I know I'm very hard on certain people getting in the way of the important work of true heroes like the police and the firefighters," Jameson started. "But that doesn't mean I don't admire it when ordinary citizens step up to save lives when they see it as necessary. Former police commissioner Yuriko Watanabe was involved in the latest burning building incident - it's a mystery how this is a regular thing in this city - and our next caller is here to tell us the story. Go ahead, caller."_

 _"She saved my daughter," said the caller, who happened to be the mother of the little girl that Yuri saved. "I was so scared I would lose her, but Commissioner Watanabe saved her even though the whole place was coming down."_

 _"Even retired heroes can still be heroes, people," said Jameson. "I'm glad for you and your daughter, ma'am, and wish you nothing but the best... and a new apartment. But I hope you don't mind talking about these reports I'm getting that Commissioner Watanabe jumped out a window from the third floor and Spider-Man saving her at the last second."_

 _"I'm sure she had a good reason for doing that. The place was coming down after all," said the caller. "And it's a good thing Spider-Man showed up..."_

 _"Sorry to interrupt you, ma'am, but I'd like to say something about this. Why did Spider-Man show up at the last second?" Jameson wondered. "Yes, he was dealing with a shootout between Hammerhead's thugs and the police at the same time. But the police had it handled, yet Spider-Man chose to interfere rather than help innocent people in a burning building first."_

 _"Well, Spider-Man can't be everywhere at once," said the caller. "But he came anyway. That shows he does care."_

 _"Yeah, right," Jameson laughed. "This menace would rather stick his masked nose into the big boys'... and girls'... businesses instead of sticking his nose in something that ACTUALLY requires his skill set. Yes, I agree that Spider-Man was needed in that burning building incident, but he just can never do things right..."_

 _"Hey, leave Spider-Man alone!" The caller shouted. It was the woman's daughter._

 _"I'm sorry, Mr. Jameson. My daughter just took the phone from me," the mother apologized in a failed attempt to take back the phone._

 _The daughter continued. "Spider-Man saved me and the nice police lady from getting hurt. He saved people in that hotel. He's a hero."_

 _"Look, little girl, I know you're too young to understand adult stuff, but you have no idea just how dangerous and how wrong Spider-Man is," said Jameson. "Spider-Man only cares about being popular..."_

 _"Oh, shut up, J. Jerk Jerkinson," the daughter insulted him._

 _"Whoa! Watch your mouth, young lady," Jameson reacted._

 _"Sorry," the mother apologized. "She's not really a big fan of you."_

 _"Then in that case, we're done," said Jameson. "Jared, let's cut to commercial." After a word from Jared, he said, "I know it's rude to hang up on kids, but if you don't cut this call in the next five seconds, I AM GONNA REDUCE YOUR SALARY BY 99%!"_

 _"You're mean," said the daughter._

 _"Make that a 99.9% reduction on your salary, Jared!" Jameson yelled. "Don't make me add another .9 to it!"_

And then Jared finally ends the episode. Peter, MJ, and Robbie couldn't help but laugh at Jameson talking to a little girl. It's the first time a child has been featured on his talk show. Then again, the mother didn't want her involved, but the daughter just wanted a word with Spider-Man's #1 hater.

"Jameson vs. Little Girl. Winner: Little Girl," MJ commented.

"I'd pay good money to see Round 2," Peter joked.

"Some things just never change," Robbie muttered.

* * *

Meanwhile, Miles was hanging out with his new girlfriend, Janice Connolly. Yup, that's right. Miles and Janice are boyfriend and girlfriend. After that second date on the day after Homecoming, they decided to make it official. Right now, the two are on their way to F.E.A.S.T. Miles wanted to show Janice where he works. On the way, they talk about Spider-Man and his protege Spider-Boy. They are, after all, the hottest topics in town.

"I just think Spider-Boy needs a new name," said Janice. "Something that sounds different from Spider-Man."

"Well, what would you suggest?" asked Miles.

"I don't know. Maybe something like Black Spinner or Tarantulus or Arachniboy," Janice suggested.

"Maybe you should tell him that next time you need saving," said Miles.

" _If_ I need saving," said Janice. "Bullet-proof, remember?"

"Yeah, but you never know," said Miles. _If only she knew who I really am_ , he thought.

"You still haven't told anyone, have you?" asked Janice.

"Hey, when I make a promise, I keep it," Miles promised.

"I really appreciate that, Miles. I do," said Janice.

"So, uh, you ever think about becoming a superhero?" Miles asked, changing the subject. "I mean, you got the bullet-proof skin and the martial arts lessons."

"That sounds... tempting... but maybe not now," said Janice. "Besides, my mom would kill me if she found out I'm trying to play hero."

"It's not like she can actually kill you," said Miles. "But I'm guessing you meant metaphorically..."

Then Miles gets pushed down to the ground. It was Tanner and Bobby, the two bullies from school.

"Payback time, Morales," said Tanner.

"Hey, leave us alone, Tanner," Janice said as she helped her boyfriend up.

"Aw, are you gonna let your girlfriend protect you, Morales?" Bobby mocked.

"Just leave us alone, guys," said Miles.

"No way," said Tanner. "I asked you to do my homework, but I got a D. You ruined me!"

"Hey, that was to teach you a lesson. You can't make someone else do your homework for you," said Miles. "Plus, let's be honest. You'd get a D in Math any day."

Tanner, feeling angered, goes for a punch. Thanks to his spider-like agility, Miles dodges the punch easily. Bobby grabs Janice like a criminal holding a hostage, but Janice elbows Bobby in the face to break free.

"She broke my nose!" Bobby complained.

That confused Janice. She only elbowed him hard enough to make his nose bleed, not break it.

"I guess bullet-proof skin comes with a little super strength," Janice whispered to herself.

Tanner keeps trying to punch Miles, but Miles was too fast. Of course, he had to take it easy with the quickness. If he moves _too_ fast, people will get suspicious.

"What's the matter, Morales? Too much of a wimp to punch me?" Tanner taunted.

Miles was so tempted to punch Tanner. Tanner's been pushing him since they were in grade school together. And now with his super strength and spider powers, he can kick his butt as payback. But then he remembered all the times when Spider-Man stood up to bullies without hitting them. During one of their lessons, Peter asked him a very important question. What's the point of having these great powers if you're just gonna use them to be like bullies and criminals?

"No," said Miles. "I'm just too smart to know you're a waste of time."

"You son of a..."

Janice shuts Tanner up by kicking him in the leg. Tanner hops around one foot as he holds his aching leg.

"Okay, that was unnecessary," said Miles.

"I'll show you unnecessary," Tanner said angrily.

Tanner was about to punch Miles again, only for someone to grab him and hold him against the wall like a criminal. It was Yuri.

"Get off me! You're not a police officer anymore," Tanner said.

"No, but I have friends in the police department who'll just love to discipline you," said Yuri. "Now leave that kid alone and just go home. Or else. And piece of advice, ditch the whole bully act. It's a one-way ticket to a criminal life, and you don't want me to keep my eyes on you."

Yuri lets Tanner go. Both Tanner and Bobby decide to leave Miles and Janice alone.

"Thanks, Commissioner," Miles thanked her.

"I'm not the commissioner anymore, kid," said Yuri. "And it's the least I can do for you and for F.E.A.S.T."

Yuri leaves. All eyes are on her, being the ex-police commissioner and all, but she just ignored them.

* * *

As the sun sets on another day in New York, Peter and MJ are having a coffee date. They sat on a table outside, deciding it's a lot better than inside. Sure, the streets can be a little noisy, but they preferred it this way. Plus, it's quiet inside and if they talk about Spider-Man, people will definitely hear them. Better to talk outside where the streets will take care of the noise problem for them.

"You okay, Pete?" MJ asked, concerned. "I thought time together would put a smile on your face."

"And it does," said Peter. "It's just..."

"Yuri," MJ guessed. "I read the news, about how she saved a little girl and talked to Spider-Man."

"She still wants nothing to do with me," said Spider-Man. "I even offered to find her a new job."

"What do you suggest? F.E.A.S.T.?" MJ asked. "She doesn't seem like the type to work there."

"Yeah, I know," said Peter. "But it wouldn't have hurt for her to just say yes."

"I've heard of girl problems, but nothing like yours," MJ commented.

"You can say that again," Peter said sadly. "Felicia and I are back to Spider-Man vs. Black Cat: Year One. Sable knows who I am and she still kisses me. Yuri won't talk to me no mater what."

"Sounds like a bad rom-com," MJ laughed.

Peter, for once, wasn't amused.

"I'm sorry," MJ apologized.

"Nah, I get it. My luck with girls, whether a friend or a girlfriend, it never gets any easier," said Peter. "Sorry if that sounds offensive."

"Not offended. I did make it difficult for you, but for good reasons," said MJ.

"I know," Peter agreed. "I'm really glad to have you by my side. And Miles. We can't forget Miles."

"Speaking of Miles, did you hear about Yuri saving him from those bullies from his school?" asked MJ.

"He said he and Janice were handling it well. Yuri was just the force needed to make Tanner and Bobby leave," said Peter. "He didn't even punch either one of them, and they've been bullying him since first grade. Makes me feel proud."

"Me too," said MJ. "So, uh, are you finally considering coming back to the Bugle?"

"I just called Stan. I told him about my situation and he said I can do whatever I wanted to do," said Peter. "So, I guess... maybe. I mean, with Felicia and I starting from the very beginning, I might as well start from the beginning." Realizing how that sounded, he said, "A-A-And by starting over with Felicia, I-I meant about her going back to stealing art and me trying to stop her on a regular basis, j-j-just in case you were thinking I meant..."

MJ just laughed. Peter's awkward ramblings are never not funny (well, depending on what he's rambling about).

"I'm almost tempted to break up with you just so you can date her again," MJ joked.

"I prefer if that was 101% a joke," Peter replied.

"Relax," said MJ. She holds Peter's hand and says, "I'm not letting you go this time. Not ever again."

Peter smiled and said, "I'm glad to hear that."

"So, when do you plan on talking to Robbie?" asked MJ.

"I'll give it a few more weeks," said Peter. "Provided I don't get fired from Mick's soon."

"Well, no explosions and no customer complaints since the big boom in the kitchen. I say you're doing fine," said MJ.

"But if I'm late again, my job as a chef is history," said Peter.

"Another reason working at the Bugle is the best option for you," said MJ. "Plus, we can spend more time together."

"Definitely a plus," Peter agreed.

Peter's phone rings. The number is blocked, which can only mean one thing. He hated taking this phone call in front of MJ, but it's best he gets it over with. He tells MJ to stay quiet, since he'll be putting it on speakerphone for both of them to hear. MJ nodded and "zipped" her lips shut.

 _"Hey there, Spider," Black Cat greeted._

"I don't have time for games, Felicia," said Peter.

 _"Well, would you be interested if this game involved a Maggia assassin?" Black Cat asked._

"Where and when?" Peter replied.

 _"Blackwing Tavern," Black Cat answered._

"Are you sure you're not just asking me to come over for a drink?" Peter asked suspiciously. "Or trying to con me again?"

 _"You want me to come out of hiding, right?" Black Cat asked. "Well, here's one step closer to that."_

Peter sighs and says, "Fine. I'll meet you there in twenty minutes."

 _"You sound peeved," Black Cat noticed. "Are you doing something important now? On a date?"_

Peter just hangs up. Rude as it may be, he really didn't want to talk to her until they meet at the Blackwing Tavern.

"Just another day in New York," Peter commented.

"Just another day in New York," MJ agreed.

 **And so ends another day in New York. So, what do you think? Leave a review and don't be afraid to let know what you think (about the chapter).**

 **For the next chapter, I'll be including the Silver Lining DLC. Just saw it and, boy, did it amaze me way more than the other DLCs. Although, now I feel embarrassed for just how OOC (out of character) I made Silver Sable in this story. She's supposed to be confrontational and no-nonsense. Yet, in my story, she's emotional and flirty around Spider-Man (I blame the SpideyxSilver shipper in me), regularly listens to Jameson's podcast, and takes strolls in the park. I know it's FanFiction, but I like to stay true to the characters I'm writing about even if I make them slightly OOC.**

 **HAPPY HOLIDAYS!**


	21. Seeing Silver

**A/N: I changed the title a little bit.**

 **The Silver Lining DLC, let me say, it was THE BEST out of all the DLCs. Although, I must say again that I feel so embarrassed by how I've written Silver Sable in this story when comparing her to Silver Lining. My best explanation is that, from my point of view, Insomniac's Silver Sable is an unpredictable character with so much character to work with outside of "angry is her default emotion" (a line from Spidey in the DLC). But hey, some reviews (from _lyokoMARVELanime_ _,_ _Archangel Writings_ _, and TLH_) have helped me feel better about how I've written her.**

 **I have to tell you that you may want to ignore a few things about the DLC, because some things - Silver Sable's personality, how she lost her family, and the story behind the Symkarian civil war - will be changed. My own story, after all. (Read CHAPTER 4 again to know how Silver's parents died in my story)**

 **Anyways, enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Give me your full, honest opinion. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: gammaxmen80, roxasduelwielder, josephguy217, IanAlphaAxel, Mitsuki Shigamatsu, K2-Black-Panther, Spideysquad, Redwall, lyokoMARVELanime, Spider-Man999, Felipe Montenegro, VenomSpawn54, Archangel Writings, TLH, Heinkelboy05**

 ** _To gammaxmen80_: If Jonah threatening Jared live on his podcast or arguing with a little girl isn't the worst, I hate to see what is. I say Silver Lining had a slightly happier ending... unless you count Yuri.**

 ** _To roxasduelwielder_: Considering Peter's "friendly rivalry" relationship with Tombstone, you can beat he'll meet Janice one day.**

 ** _To Mitsuki Shigamatsu_: He definitely got roasted. I'd love and hate to try to get him to argue with an even younger Spidey fan.**

 ** _To Knox_: The Aaron Aikman Armor and the Raimi Suit. (To be honest, it's hard for me to look at the Raimi Suit because of the fans' harsh criticism towards Insomniac about the suit; I wanted no part of that)**

 ** _To K2-Black-Panther_: To be honest, I kinda got a little lost in your story. I re-read the whole hospital scene and I'm still kinda lost. The whole thing with Yuri is scaring me though.**

 ** _ANOTHER reply to K2-Black-Panther_: Yeah, I really loved the high five scene. I also wished she hugged him, but yeah, what are you gonna do? I'm really glad we finally got confirmation of Black Cat's true fate, and MJ's decision to go to Symkaria just really shows she is, as Peter said, a true hero.**

 ** _To CG_: The DLC package is called "The City That Never Sleeps", but I guess it should be called "The Spider That Never Sleeps". Poor Peter.**

 ** _To Redwall_: That phone call between MJ and Peter, it was really touching (I give Insomniac an A+ for how they wrote Peter and MJ's love story). Even if the DLCs are somewhat disappointing, I really loved their stories. The Heist established Black Cat's character really well. Turf Wars scared me with Yuri's dark side. But yeah, Silver Lining is the best. Spidey and Sable's dynamic was definitely the best part (well, tied for best part along with the Peter/MJ phone call).**

 ** _To lyokoMARVELanime_: Thanks. I guess I needed a motivational speech/review. I'm just so embarrassed when I compare Silver Sable from the Silver Lining DLC to my story. But you're right. While I try to stay true to canon as much as I can, I can also go overboard whenever I want to (as long as I don't swim too far away from the boat, metaphorically speaking). Again, thanks.**

 ** _To Felipe Montenegro_: Okay, that was my mistake. Maybe if we had that Silver Sable boss fight in the main story, then I wouldn't have to add "Spidey doesn't hit girls" in this story. I was already planning on addressing that in this chapter.**

 ** _To Archangel Writings_: You're welcome, and thanks... for your opinion about Silver Sable in this story. I really needed it.**

 ** _To TLH_: Thanks for expressing your thoughts on my writing of Silver Sable. Very appreciated. Her weary lifestyle/upbringing is why I thought "learning to be more like a normal person" was the best path for her in this story. I've really enjoyed writing that part about her.**

It has been an eventful past two months. The Maggia gang war. Black Cat's "death." Yuri Watanabe murdering Hammerhead in cold blood, not to mention her subsequent And now there's the recent revelation that Hammerhead's corpse has been stolen by his thugs. The metal-headed Maggia don has been brought back to life via electric resuscitation. Spider-Man (with aid from Mary Jane Watson and Miles Morales) has been trying his best to end this Maggie threat once and for all so the city can finally be safe... and Jameson's blood pressure will finally go back to normal... and Spidey himself can finally get some sleep. They say New York is "The City That Never Sleeps," and that may as well include Spider-Man.

Today, Spider-Man takes on a gang of Hammerhead thugs equipped with more of Sable's tech at an Oscorp plant. Armor, energy shields, jetpacks, you name it. Leave it to Spider-Man's quickness, aerial combat skills, and quips to defeat them without out even taking a punch.

That just left one jetpack-geared Hammerhead thug holding Officer Andrew officer hostage, threatening to drop him from five-story height.

"Don't come any closer, bug," the Hammerhead Thug threatened.

"Oh, this personal, pal. You made me miss a very important date earlier," Spider-Man replied.

The standoff was interrupted when a Sable International jet came into view, surprising everyone who saw it. The vigilante, the thug, and the hostage all look at the shiny silver-ish white aerial vehicle.

"I don't remember stealing a jet," said the Hammerhead Thug.

"I got a good and bad feeling about this," said Spider-Man.

The cockpit opened to reveal...

"Sable. The queen of making entrances," Spider-Man commented.

Silver Sable wastes no time blasting at the Hammerhead thug, causing him to drop Officer Andrew. Spider-Man saves Officer Andrew by attaching a web line between him and the thug he immediately webbed up. Spider-Man glues the thug to a smokestack, which leaves Officer Andrew dangling safely on the side of the building.

"Are you okay?" Spider-Man asked the cop.

"I wanna believe Jameson is right about you, but you prove me wrong every time we meet," said Officer Andrew. "But, yeah, I'm fine. Thanks."

Silver Sable hops out of her seat and aims her two pistols at the webbed up Hammerhead thug. Spider-Man swings back to the top of the roof to talk to her. It's been a while since he's seen her, after all.

"Tell me where to find Hammerhead," Silver demanded, keeping her fingers on the trigger.

"I ain't telling you jack," said the Hammerhead Thug.

"I won't ask you again," Silver said threateningly. "Hammerhead. Where is he?"

"You don't scare me, lady," the Hammerhead Thug said stubbornly.

"I warned you," said Silver.

Silver was about to pull the triggers, until Spider-Man webbed the pistols off her hands. His code of honor refused to let her murder the thug. This did not make her happy, as clear by the ticked off look on her face.

"Whoa, hey! I thought we talked about lethal force," Spider-Man scolded.

"Leave now, Spider-Man. Don't force me to neutralize you," Silver threatened.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" Spider-Man asked, confused. "Wait, are you mad I never called? 'Cause I _totally_ would've called, but, uh, international roaming is super expensive..."

Silver just growls angrily as she jumps off her jet, leaps off the webbed-up thug, and activates her energy shield on the way down. She tries to hit him with the shield, but Spider-Man jumps out of the way. All Silver hit on her rather impressive landing is concrete. She quickly grabs her two pistols and aims them at Spider-Man.

"You really want to do this?" Spider-Man asked.

"You have three seconds to leave," Silver threatened.

"How about we settle this over hot chocolate?" Spider-Man suggested.

"One," Silver counted.

"How about donuts?" Spider-Man suggested.

"Two," Silver continued.

"Six! Nine! Eleventy-seven!" Spider-Man joked.

"Three!" Silver snarled.

Silver starts shooting at Spider-Man. He dodges all the lasers coming at him, but she just keeps on shooting. She holsters her guns and takes on Spider-Man up-close. She grabs his arm and flips him down to the ground. She tries shooting him again, but he dodges the blasts again.

"What's the matter with you, Sable?" asked Spider-Man. "I thought we were cool."

"I never should have trusted you to handle Hammerhead alone!" Silver said angrily. "He continues to use my weapons and you do nothing!"

"I'm doing everything," Spider-Man argued.

"Not good enough," Silver said, still angry.

Silver charges at Spider-Man and strikes a very strong jumping spin kick. Spider-Man quickly jumps back up as Silver starts shooting again. He tries shooting web shots at her to incapacitate her, but Silver blocks the web shots with her energy shield. She charges at him again and smacks him with the shield.

"You will stay out of my way or suffer the consequences," Silver threatened.

"Stay out of the way while you do what?" asked Spider-Man.

"While I find and kill Hammerhead!" Silver answered.

Spider-Man tries webbing her pistols away from her again, only to get the same butterfly kick to the face that he received during the time Martin Li escaped with the Devil's Breath. Silver didn't stop there. She kicked him in the stomach. Spider-Man gets up and jumps at a safe distance from Silver. She's too dangerous to take on up-close.

"I don't want to do this to you, but you're giving me no choice," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man fires a Web Bomb at Silver and traps her in a coat made of webs. Despite being raised to be a gentleman, especially towards girls, Spider-Man has no choice but to hit her. One punch to the face, a spin kick to the hip, a roundhouse kick to the other hip, and a kick to the stomach to knock her down. Silver quickly breaks free of the web coating and gets back on her feet.

"I'm sorry, Aunt May and Uncle Ben, but I'm fighting for my life here," Spider-Man thought out loud.

Spider-Man fires a web shot at a nearby crate and slides it across the floor towards Silver. With correct timing, she jumps on the box and off it in athletic fashion. She rolls on the ground for a smooth landing as she shoots at Spider-Man again. He just won't stop dodging, which is frustrating her. Spider-Man fires a Suspension Matrix at her, but she kicks the projectile off the roof. A couple of poor civilians end up being suspended in mid-air for a few seconds.

Silver fights Spider-Man in hand-to-hand combat, believing it'll give her the advantage since his reflexes help him dodge her shooting. It started out as a virtual slap fight with Spider-Man blocking Silver's punches. Spider-Man spins-dodges to the other side and kicks her in the back twice. Silver counters with a reverse side kick to the torso. Spider-Man goes for a handstand kick to the face before double-kicking her away from him. He shoots an Electric Web, but she blocks it with her shield. Spider-Man keeps firing Electric Webs while Silver runs towards towards with her shield still up. Spider-Man jumps up and over her to avoid being rammed. Silver times his landing and uses an axe kick to the stomach.

"Ow," Spider-Man cried.

"You're still holding back," said Silver.

"Hey, I'm not the one with the punch-to-kill objective here," said Spider-Man.

"You think I'm enjoying this?" Silver accused.

"My jaw and my kidney think so," Spider-Man said, pained.

Silver goes for a flying roundhouse kick, but Spider-Man dodges it. She goes for a simple forward kick, but he dodges it as well. Silver quickly shoots at him again and manages to get a couple of clean shots on his upper body, hurting him just a little bit.

Spider-Man decides to use one of his finishers to end this. He punches her across the face twice, but Silver ducks under his knockout kick. She quickly follows this dodge by a spinning hook kick to the face, knocking his head towards a pipe. The collision made Spider-Man's head hurt more than a bit, preventing him from reacting to Silver's next move. She grabs his arm and flips him to the ground... again.

Silver grabs her pistols again, only to see that the Hammerhead Thug webbed up to the smokestack has freed himself and flew away.

"Damn you!" Silver cursed at the spider-themed hero.

Silver rushes back to her jet to chase after the thug flying around in a Sable International jetpack. Spider-Man recovers from the mild head trauma to appeal to the Symkarian princess.

"What's going on? I thought we were friends," said Spider-Man.

"I am warning you," said Silver. "If you stand in my way again, New York will know who is the man behind the mask."

Silver flies away. The sudden burst of power from her jet's rear nozzle blows Spider-Man off the roof. Fortunately, he fired a web shot on the ledge to save himself. He just hung there on the side of the building, thinking.

"Whatever happened to, _I'll miss you and your bizarre witticisms_?" Spider-Man wondered.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

After making sure Officer Andrew is safe, Spider-Man swings off to look for Silver Sable. Her jet is, for some reason, nowhere to be seen. It's a giant white aircraft, for crying out loud! How can it just disappear in broad daylight? Well, that's what Spider-Man's going to find out. First, he had to inform his girlfriend.

"Hey, MJ. Guess who's back in town?" Spider-Man said.

 _"Silver Sable," MJ guessed. "Yeah, I know. Everyone does. That jet of hers is pretty hard to miss."_

"No kidding," Spider-Man agreed.

 _"But hey, this is good. You two can team up again to take down Hammerhead," said MJ._

"Yeah, based on our recent encounter, it's not likely," said Spider-Man.

 _"Why not?" asked MJ._

"She tried to shoot me. Again," said Spider-Man. "Don't know why, but she's ticked. Very ticked. And I'm very certain it's more than just about Hammerhead stealing her stuff."

 _"Must be the civil war in Symkaria," MJ guessed. "I'll keep digging into it, see what I can find. In the meantime, try to get her to not shoot at you. Maybe ask her out to dinner..."_

"Oh, so _now_ you tease me when it comes to Sable. Real funny, MJ," Spider-Man said sarcastically.

 _MJ laughs and says, "You charmed her without even trying. Keep that in mind. Anyway, I gotta go. Good luck. Not that you need it."_

Spider-Man sighs, annoyed. He's just had about enough girl problems in one lifetime. He tried so hard to get back together with MJ. He thought he had a kid with Felicia, which turned out to be false, and she faked her death that he bought before the revelation. His cop-vigilante relationship with Yuri sank. And now Silver Sable just went from kissing him constantly back to shooting at him at first sight.

Good thing Miles called. He needed to get his mind off his girl problems.

"Hey, Miles," Spider-Man greeted.

 _"Hey, Peter," Miles greeted. "I just saw the news. Silver Sable's back in town."_

"Yeah, I have an aching jaw, a bruised kidney, and a couple of burn marks on my chest that confirm that," said Spider-Man.

 _"You gotta stop holding back, man," said Miles._

"I didn't," Spider-Man whined. "Anyway, I know why you're calling. And the answer is still no. You're not skipping school to help me. At least wait until after you're done with your Calculus test to suit up. Remember, school is..."

 _"Is more important than being a superhero, I know," Miles interrupted. "Wouldn't wanna me to be held back or end up in summer school, don't we?"_

"Oh, before I forget to mention, I got a surprise for you at the lab. It's in a box with your initials on it," said Spider-Man. "Trust me. You'll love it."

* * *

As if a violent reunion wasn't enough, Spider-Man had to chase Oscorp shipping trucks stolen by Hammerhead's Thugs. Several cars driven by more Hammerhead Thugs joined the chase to make sure the trucks containing the Project Olympus cases make it to their boss. No problem for Spider-Man, right? Well, maybe not until Silver Sable showed up in her heavily-armed jet and started shooting at the trucks just to get her stuff back. Despite Spider-Man's begging, Silver kept on shooting, risking innocent lives and destroying a good part of the Financial District. Nobody died, but some were either slightly or seriously injured.

Some drones got involved, Spider-Man hitched a ride on Silver's jet to take them out, and it was all down to one truck. A truck that Silver blasted while Spider-Man was still on it.

The driver of the truck was still alive, if a little banged up from the crash. Silver's jet descends upon the fallen truck as Silver herself exits to interrogate the thug. She has a pistol to his head and demands Hammerhead's location. He refused to speak out of fear of Hammerhead, so Silver decided to just kill him. The crowd watches in horror as she was about to pull the trigger. Fortunately, Spider-Man grabs Silver's arm and points the gun away from the thug's head, saving everyone's eyes from a public execution.

"Whoa, whoa, no need for that," said Spider-Man. "I get that you're angry, but at least talk to me."

Silver just pulls her arm back with a still angry look on her face.

"Okay, let's start over," said Spider-Man. "Greeting, your highness. Welcome back to New York. What brings you ba... okay, never mind. I know why you're back, but that's why we have to work together. When Taskmaster turned half your agents against you, you came to me. When the Demons stole Vibranium from you, you let me help you get it back. Hammerhead steals your tech, and that shouldn't change anything."

Silver holsters her guns, drops the angry look, and says, "You are right. It shouldn't. I am sorry."

"Hey, I forgive you, but someone could've died," said Spider-Man. "The people of this city, they don't need Jameson to have a reason to turn on you. Whatever happened to making amends?"

"I will worry about that later," said Silver. "Right now, Hammerhead."

"So, does that mean we're good? We in this together?" asked Spider-Man.

"Yes. Together," Silver agreed.

Silver holds her hand out. Spider-Man takes it and they shake hands. Silver even gave him a small pat on the bicep, probably as a friendly gesture. But it wasn't. She was secretly planting a tracker on him. A tracker with camouflage tech, allowing it to be unseen on his arm.

"I'll call you when I can," said Silver.

"If you say so, your majesty," said Spider-Man.

Silver jumps back into her jet and flies off without a word. Some of the nearby civilians were still shaken by the recent chaos. Silver risked lives by shooting at the trucks and she almost executed a man in front of hundreds of eyes.

"Sorry about that, folks," Spider-Man apologized. "My friend can be... unpredictable."

* * *

Silver used the tracker to follow Spider-Man to a guy named Tony, who is very trusted by Hammerhead. While Spider-Man was in the middle of chatting with Tony, Silver announced her presence via a cloaking device (which explains how her jet remained hidden, since it was fitted with a cloaking device). Hammerhead wanted to have a sitdown at the roof of the Colexco building. Silver headed there in her jet while Spider-Man followed just to keep her safe, all the while wondering how she found Tony without him informing her.

Long story short, it was a trap and Silver's jet got caught in it. Good thing Spider-Man saved her. Unfortunately, Hammerhead showed up. The "improvements" that MJ told about... Hammerhead's head has been attached to a robotic body, turning him into a cyborg. It's all part of his plan to modernize himself and his work force. Running the Maggia takes long-term leadership, Hammerhead said, and being a cyborg makes him truly long-term.

It was Spider-Man versus Hammerhead on Silver Sable's jet with a malfunctioning engine. Hammerhead overpowers Spider-Man and was about to shred his head using the blades of the Jet's engine.

"See ya in hell, bug," said Hammerhead.

Silver hops out of the cockpit to kill Hammerhead and help Spider-Man. That only resulted into the two of them being grabbed by the cyborg don.

"Two for one. My lucky day," Hammerhead said gleefully.

Hammerhead was about to use the metal plate in his head to headbutt Spider-Man and Silver to death, only for Black Cat to swoop in out of nowhere and save Spider-Man. However, that leaves Silver and Hammerhead on the out-of-control jet, which crashed. Silver survives, but is kidnapped by Hammerhead.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Black Cat, meanwhile, safely drops Spider-Man on a rooftop. She does a bit of tiptoeing on the ledge, showing off as always. Performing any types of acrobatic or athletic stunts seem to be a habit of hers. Spider-Man, however, was not in the mood for her showing-off right now.

"You saved me?" Spider-Man asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" Black Cat replied. "You're welcome."

Black Cat starts touching Spider-Man in her usual flirtatious manner. A hand on the chest, claws tickling his shoulder, and that look in her eyes. She even removed the tracker from his arm, revealing it to him.

"Seems like our silver-haired friend doesn't trust you anymore," Black Cat deduced.

"People could've seen you," said Spider-Man.

"With what's going on with Hammerhead right now, I thought now was the perfect time to show myself," said Black Cat. "Plus, you'd be dead if I didn't show up."

"Wait. Sable," Spider-Man remembered. "You didn't save her?"

"I only have two hands, Spider," said Black Cat.

"This isn't a joke, Felicia," said Spider-Man. "If that crash didn't kill her, Hammerhead will. You just left her to die."

"What did you want me to do? Let you die?" Black Cat questioned.

"You could've thrown an EMP at him and saved me at the same time, but no. You only cared about saving me. You don't care about her," Spider-Man accused.

"Hey, I'd hate to see her dead too, Spider, but I did what I could do," said Black Cat. "Here."

Black Cat pulls Spider-Man closer and gives him a flash drive.

"Everything you need to learn about that ugly thing," said Black Cat, referring to Hammerhead. "Go save your princess, Spider. Only you can."

"What about you?" asked Spider-Man.

"I'm gonna revel in my resurrection," Black Cat replied.

Black Cat jumps off the roof and zips from building to building with her grapple hook, leaving Spider-Man to take a look at what's in the drive. He gets a call from MJ, who gives him more information about the civil war in Symkaria and why this is linked to Silver Sable's temper and current trust issues.

* * *

Thanks to the drive that Black Cat gave him, Spider-Man found out where Hammerhead is keeping Silver. In the sewers. After fighting some armored thugs, following a yellow cable like Dorothy, and making a comment about Hammerhead needing health inspectors in the sewers, Spider-Man found her. She was trapped in one of her own hi-tech torture racks and being tortured for information. A thug had already drilled a hole through her deltoid muscle with a drill.

Spider-Man uses an Electric Web to short out the device, freeing her from her electric binds.

Silver quickly kicks the thug down to the ground. With the scary, vengeful look on her face, she punches him in the face over and over again. She would've kept going on until he bled to death, but her wound caused her to collapse. Spider-Man offers her a hand. Silver accepts it.

"You came for me?" Silver asked, surprised.

"For my friends, always," said Spider-Man.

"Even after I threatened you with your identity?" asked Silver.

"A part of me was hoping you were bluffing, but... yeah," said Spider-Man. "Listen, we need each other."

"I don't need your help," Silver insisted.

"I know about Symkaria. I know why this means so much to you," said Spider-Man.

"You think you know, but you do not know," Silver said gravely.

Silver grabs her pistols and walks away from the wall crawler.

"What can I do to make you trust me again?" Spider-Man asked, desperate to earn back her trust.

Spider-Man couldn't see it with her back turned, but Silver was about to shed a tear. She couldn't face him or say a word, however. Spider-Man decided to try something else besides words. He takes off his mask. Since she already knew his identity, it doesn't matter. He asked her to turn around, allowing her to see the face of Peter Parker up-close for the first time.

"I already know who you are," said Silver.

"I know, but I thought maybe you could see who I really am face to face," said Peter. "Sable, we've been through so much together in so little time. I get that a civil war can make anyone feel the opposite of okay, but this is different. It feels personal. Personal towards me. That's the part I don't understand. What did I do wrong?"

Silver refused to speak.

"Like I said back at Colexco, talking about your feelings reduces stress and improves mood. To keep it short, talking helps," said Spider-Man. "Please, Sable. I just want to help you. Plain and simple."

Silver holsters her pistols, faces him, and says, "The war started while I was... while I was staying here in New York. I did not find out until I returned home. During the time I was away, my people have been dying and suffering. And I... I... I blamed you."

"Me?" Peter asked, confused.

"A few weeks ago, I interfered with an execution. I tried to solve the problem peacefully, like you would," said Silver. "The enemy, they would not listen. They killed a dozen people, all parents of poor children, right in front of me."

"And you just relapsed into your old ways. Always being angry, wanting to solve things with violence first, not trusting anyone but yourself," Peter realized.

"I tried my best to fight for my people, but I only end up watching more and more die every day," Silver said sadly. "All I wanted in my return here is to reclaim all of my weapons. I did not care if I destroyed the citizens' trust in me. All I cared about is liberating my people from the tyranny of that treacherous prime minister..." She paused.

"Prime Minister... who?" asked Peter.

"Prime Minister Klaus Limka," Silver continued, sounding sad and betrayed. "He was close to my parents. He was the only family I had left after they were... and I thought I could trust him, as he believed in me, watched me grow up. But then I discovered that he has been conspiring against my family all along. He was the one who hired the assassins to murder my parents. I was supposed to join them, but... here I am. And now, he's starting this war just to kill me or force me to step down from my throne. And here I am blaming you and I... I shouldn't."

"Sable, I... I'm sorry," Peter apologized.

Silver realizes that she has shed a tear. She turns her back on Peter and wipes it off, ashamed.

"But you're wrong. I do know," said Peter. "Martin Li. Otto Octavius. They were two people I admired growing up. I considered them family. But then you know what happened to them. I lost my Aunt May because of them. You have no idea how much it hurt me."

Peter puts his mask back on and shows her the flash drive that Black Cat gave him, saying it has info that can help them take down Hammerhead. Before they could talk about it, more Hammerhead Thugs came in. The cryogenically frozen armored thugs were released to help in the fight against the vigilante and the princess. Silver Sable, being Silver Sable, just charges into battle guns blazing. _So much for lecturing Miles about planning before attacking_ , Spider-Man thought.

"Stop standing there and fight!" Silver shouted.

It was a long and hard-fought battle for the two vigilantes. The thugs, despite being armored up and well-equipped, were no match for them, although they gave them quite the fight. Spider-Man used every type of webbing at his disposal - Trip Mines, Suspension Matrix, Web Bomb, and the rest - to make things a bit more fair. Silver Sable was taking on thugs bigger than her and all it took is a few kicks to the face or a headshot to beat them. Silver even expressed interest in learning how to use Spider-Man's webs.

He said, "Loan me a jetpack and I'll consider."

And she said, "Not gonna happen."

The fight raged on until every thug was either dead (Silver Sable's work) or unconscious.

One thug that was taken out early woke up and crawled towards the nearest Sable gun. He was about to fire at the two vigilantes, but Spider-Man quickly webs him in the face. Spider-Man and Silver Sable turned to each other and joined hands, as if they read each other's minds. Spider-Man throws Silver high up and Silver lands the knockout kick on the last thug standing.

Spider-Man hangs upside down as he tries to make sure the thug was down for the count.

"That was AWESOME!" Spider-Man cheered. "High five!"

Spider-Man holds his hand up, waiting for the high five. Silver, however, has no patience for this. She asked him to show her what the flash drive has on Hammerhead. Silver gains access to a computer while Spider-Man stands on top of said computer with his hand still up, still waiting for that high five.

"Uh, you know you left me hanging, right?" Spider-Man said.

Silver holds her hand out, but it was not for a high five. It was for him to give her the drive. Despite feeling bummed, he gives it to her. Silver plugs in the drive and the two find out that the plate in Hammerhead's head is made of carbon steel, which is highly sensitive to...

"Heat," the two said at the same time.

Feeling the moment, Spider-Man raises his hand for a high five, hoping she'll give it to him this time. She didn't. She just proceeded looking at the drive's contents.

"I have a plan," said Silver.

"I solemnly swear to, uh, do whatever tell me to do," Spider-Man promised. His hand's already up anyways.

"I will call soon," said Silver.

Silver slaps his hand as she leaves, which is probably her version of a high five.

"Ow," Spider-Man cried softly. She high-fives hurt.

Silver smirked when she heard that.

"But, yeah," Spider-Man cheered quietly. Any high five is a win.

* * *

While Spider-Man waits for Silver to call, he thought he could take care of his side missions today. One of them is shutting Screwball down once and for all. During the entire Maggia gang war, Screwball got out of prison and is using her big fans from Ryker's to cause trouble, attract Spider-Man's attention, and gain more followers for her channel (50 million is her aim). After completing all of her challenges, Spider-Man asks Miles to locate where Screwball's 50-million-follower party is (he wasn't invited because he's not a subscriber). As soon as Miles was done with his test, he got to work right away.

After receiving the info from Miles, Spider-Man shows up at the rooftop where the party was taking place. All the people that were there immediately cheered, waved, and took pictures.

"Hey, Spider-Man!"

"Thanks for the great show!"

"Ooh, Spider-Man! Take a selfie with me!"

"Sorry, folks, but I got business to attend to," Spider-Man muttered.

Screwball reveals herself and the chase begins. To Spider-Man's surprise, she outfitted herself with rocket shoes (she probably stole the parts to make them), allowing her to jump from one building to another at great speed.

"Game's over, Screwball," said Spider-Man.

"Not yet, Spider-Man! We're giving the fans quite a show!" Screwball said.

Spider-Man had to dispose of some bombs (which meant "Photobombs") along the way, but that was keeping him from catching up. And now add drones to the mix. Where does she get this stuff? Ryker's?

"HEADS UP!"

Looking to his Spider-Man sees... Miles?!

He fires an Electric Web at all the drones, taking them out. As for Miles, he's not wearing a homemade suit anymore. The "surprise" that Peter mentioned, it was a new suit. It has the same color scheme as the homemade suit, only all integrated into an actual superhero suit. A black suit. Red webbing design with a few red stripes and some red on the fingertips. The red spider symbol on his chest resembled the one on Peter's Classic Suit.

"The suit is sick, man!" Miles said happily.

"Glad of you to join the party," said Spider-Man.

"I couldn't miss the chance to give the world a good show," said Miles. "Not that I'm condoning Screwball's actions, it's just..."

"Miles," Spider-Man scolded.

"Right. Screwball. Got it," Miles remembered.

Spider-Man uses a Point Launch to boost himself towards Screwball, catching her. Miles webs up her shoe and hangs her upside down to keep her from getting away. Miles takes Screwball's phone and films himself so he can speak to all of New York.

"Hey, folks," Miles greeted. "It's me. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Boy. You like the new suit?"

"I made it myself," Spider-Man said, showing himself in the background.

"Oh yeah, you did," said Miles. "Oh, and by the way, don't call me Spider-Boy anymore. Call me... Arachnid Man."

"More like Kid Arachnid," Spider-Man teased.

"Hey," Miles reacted, offended.

Spider-Man steals the phone, keeps his sidekick away from it, and says, "Kid Arachnid, folks. That's his name now. Kid Arachnid."

"Ooh, I like it," Screwball said. "Unique, but it still reminds everyone who the sidekick is."

"Okay, I... I... aw, man," Miles complained. "So, coach, you need help with Hammerhead?"

"Sable and I are on the case," said Spider-Man. "You go home and celebrate. Well, after we hand Screwball over to the authorities."

"Aw, c'mon. You guys don't have to do this," Screwball pleaded. "If we work together, we could give the world a better Best Show Ever. Think of all the attention we'll get online. What do you say?"

"I say, unfollowed," Spider-Man replied.

* * *

Spider-Man meets up with Silver Sable yet another Sable International jet (a backup, he guessed). She pilots the jet towards her secret base in the city, which turns out to be a Sable International aircraft carrier. It too has cloaking tech, which explains why it has remained hidden on the waters the entire time. Spider-Man geeks out at the sight of it. Silver acquired a laser that might just be enough to soften the metal plate in Hammerhead's head. Spider-Man helped her attach said laser to her jet. After that, target practice. Spider-Man used empty barrels as targets, watching the laser in action. He rather enjoyed himself, while Silver called him a child. Spider-Man says...

"We're all children on the inside."

Last thing they needed to do was make sure the weight of the laser doesn't affect the jet's flight stability. As they worked on that, Spider-Man decided to talk to Silver about something.

"So, uh, about my identity," Spider-Man mentioned.

Silver focused on her jet instead of responding.

"I miss Pre-civil-war you," said Spider-Man.

As they finished, Hammerhead showed up, announcing his presence with a boom. He fires his laser arm cannon and damages the laser on Silver's jet. While Silver tries to fix it in the air, Spider-Man keeps Hammerhead occupied by fighting him.

"Aren't you two cute?" Hammerhead teased. "Only fitting you die together."

"She's not really my type," said Spider-Man.

Hammerhead gives it his all, trying to hit Spider-Man with every trick in the book. Punching, stomping, smacking, the laser arm cannon, not to mention that hard head of his. Spider-Man gets headbutted a few times, but stays in the fight. He uses Electric Webs to stun him while he hits him on the legs, which are weak points. Hammerhead recovers quickly and headbutts Spider-Man away from him. This didn't faze the wall crawler, not much at least.

"What's the point of bringing back the good old days if you're just gonna turn yourself into a futuristic cyborg?" Spider-Man asked mockingly.

"Who says the good old days can't use a little modernizing?" Hammerhead replied. "The dawn of a new Maggia starts now."

"How poetic," Spider-Man insulted.

 _"Spider-Man, the laser is ready!" Silver reported._

Spider-Man keeps kicking Hammerhead's right leg until he drops down on his right knee. Spider-Man webs one of his hands to the floor while holding his head back to expose the metal plate in his head. Silver shoots the laser directly at the plate, softening it. Now, Spider-Man can make Hammerhead know what it feels like to have a headache.

"This one's for Yuri!" Spider-Man exclaimed with determination.

Channeling his desire for payback to his fists and legs, Spider-Man punches and kicks Hammerhead in the head rapidly and repeatedly. To Hammerhead's surprise, it actually hurt a little. It wasn't too soon that Hammerhead got back up.

"Look at me. I'm indestructible," said Hammerhead. "You might as well just give up, bug."

"How about no," Spider-Man responded.

"Come on in, boys!" Hammerhead ordered.

Hammerhead's armored thugs joined the party.

"Sable, a little help?" Spider-Man begged.

 _"I can handle his minions. Just focus on Hammerhead," said Silver._

"How about a little teamwork?" Spider-Man offered.

Spider-Man fires a couple of Suspension Matrix that suspend about almost a dozen of Hammerhead's Thugs in mid-air, giving Silver some easy targets to hit with her jet's blasters (at least they're still fully functional, unlike the laser). Spider-Man exchanges punches with Hammerhead, with the former getting the advantage due to superhuman speed and his Spider Sense. Spider-Man keeps hitting the knees when he has the opportunity. Hammerhead tries to keep Spider-Man away with his laser cannon, but Spider-Man is just too quick. After webbing up Hammerhead, Spider-Man kicks his knees without interruption.

Just as Silver was finished stunning/killing Hammerhead's thugs, Spider-Man has Hammerhead on one knee with a hand webbed to the floor and his metal plate ready for lasering. Silver fires her laser again and further softens the plate in Hammerhead's head.

"What are you doing?!" Hammerhead shouted.

"Giving you your long overdue dose of Vitamin Laser, that's what we're doing," Spider-Man answered humorously and vengefully.

Spider-Man punches and kicks Hammerhead's head numerous times before flip-kicking him on his back. He's still not down and out, but he's close to it.

"Here's some advice. Open a theme park. Kids love robots," Spider-Man joked.

"Still no respect, huh?" Hammerhead replied, ticked off. Even now, Spider-Man doesn't take him seriously. "What's it gonna take, bug?!"

Hammerhead activates the robotic body's shield system, shielding every part of his cyborg body. Fortunately, Silver has what is needed to disable the shields. Bombs. She drops a dozen of them, but Hammerhead jumps out of the way.

 _"Dammit. I missed," Silver cursed._

"Try again. I'll throw one of them at him," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man continues dodging Hammerhead's robotic fists, laser blasts, and hard head. When Spider-Man started swinging around, Hammerhead tried flying closer towards him. Spider-Man fires an Impact Web shot at Hammerhead and two Trip Mines on his legs. Hammerhead's lower body gets webbed down to the floor, which resulted in a huge thud. It didn't take him long to break free, unfortunately. Silver drops more bombs. Spider-Man webs one of them and throws it at Hammerhead, disabling his shields.

"Nice delivery," Spider-Man complimented his silver-haired friend.

 _"Now go!" Silver commanded._

Spider-Man kicks Hammerhead's leg repeatedly until he was down on one knee again. Keeping the cyborg's metal head facing to the sky, Spider-Man waits for Silver to fire the laser again. Unfortunately, the laser malfunctioned.

 _"Damn it! The laser is offline," Silver cursed._

"Then try something else," Spider-Man suggested, grunting from the effort. "I can't hold him for long."

 _"I have an idea," said Silver. "You're not going to like it."_

Silver gets some altitude and then turns the jet around, back towards the carrier, flying towards Hammerhead at high speed.

"Get ready to jump," said Silver.

"Wait, what?!" Spider-Man reacted.

Silver jumps off her jet as Spider-Man jumps away from Hammerhead. The jet crashes into Hammerhead and explodes.

"So much for my no-killing rule," Spider-Man muttered in disappointment.

He talked to the princess about it while they were working on the laser.

Spider-Man and Silver Sable approach the flames that engulf Hammerhead, making sure that he's down for good. Unfortunately, Hammerhead is still alive and still standing. His cyborg suit was badly damaged, but he was angry and determined to finish the job. Just when it looked like the two vigilantes were in for another fight, the cyborg suit shorts out. Hammerhead faints into unconsciousness.

"Well, that was fun," said Spider-Man. He turns to Silver and asks, "Hey, you have dinner plans? I can cook you up something lovely at Mick's."

Silver seemed flattered, but she kept a straight face on.

"I must return to Symkaria," she said.

"Right. You have a war to fight," Spider-Man remembered.

Silver's straight face turned into a sad and guilt-ridden face as she looked at Manhattan. The city she worked so hard to make amends to. All of that was just immediately erased when she almost killed innocents while blasting Hammerhead's thugs on a high-speed chase. Can they ever forgive her again after that?

"I don't think I can ever show my face in this city again," Silver said sadly.

"Losing people's trust is a lot easier than gaining it. Harsh life lesson, I know," said Spider-Man. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but... I'm actually gonna miss you."

"And I you," said Silver. "I am sorry for directing unfair blame towards you. I was so blinded by anger and hatred that I needed to throw it at someone. I wrongfully chose you, when I should've directed it towards Klaus."

"Well, I'm sorry if I made you act like someone you're not," Spider-Man apologized.

"You don't have to apologize. I did not despise who I was around you," said Silver. "The humor, the music, the hot chocolate, I loved it all."

"Did you still the keep the, uh..." Spider-Man paused.

Silver takes out her phone and shows her playlist. She kept all of the songs that Spider-Man suggested to her.

"I guess you're still you after all," said Spider-Man.

"Thank you, Spider-Man," Silver said with a smile. "For everything."

The two shake hands. This time, no one is placing a tracker on someone. This was a legitimate handshake.

After the handshake, Spider-Man opens his arms wide, expecting a hug. Silver was reluctant as she had no time for this. Spider-Man, however, kept his arms open, just waiting for her to come closer.

"Come on. You know want to," Spider-Man teased.

Instead of turning him down, Silver accepted a hug. If they were in this situation seven months ago, she would've just turned her back on him and say she doesn't do hugs. But after spending some time in New York, she has become more open to being expressive, to an extent.

"Take care, Parker," said Silver.

"Ah, you can call me Peter," said Spider-Man.

"You refuse to call me by my first name. Only fitting I extend the same courtesy," Silver smirked.

"Wow, I've really changed you, haven't I?" Spider-Man commented.

Silver walks away and towards another jet, preparing to leave the country. Although, she had some business to take care of. She'll have to make a few stops before she takes her equipment and base back to Symkaria.

"What, no kiss?" Spider-Man asked.

"You have a girlfriend. Who am I to get in the way?" Silver replied with a little smirk.

"Oh, well... good, I guess," Spider-Man replied awkwardly.

Silver stopped when she remembered something.

"While you were fighting Hammerhead, you said, _this one's for Yuri_ ," Silver mentioned. "What do you mean by that?"

"Long story short, Hammerhead killed Yuri's men in front of her, twice. She snapped and tried to kill him. She lost her job because of it," Spider-Man answered sadly. "I tried to help her, but... she wants nothing to do with me. Without The Chief, there's no more Spider Cop."

"Then I must apologize," said Silver. "Had I not left New York..."

"No, I understand," said Spider-Man. "We'd be dealing with a lot worse than Hammerhead if you stayed. Plus, your country needed you more."

Spider Sense tingling!

"Get down!" Spider-Man shouted.

Spider-Man grabs Silver and jumps away from the danger, which comes in the form of a Sable International missile, heading straight for Hammerhead's face. The missile hits its target, creating yet another big boom on the base. What's become of Hammerhead?

Well, let's just say the cyborg body no longer has a head. As for the head itself...

"That's a traumatizing sight," said Spider-Man.

Silver looks up at where the missile might have come from. She saw something (or someone) on top of the carrier's control tower. A person wearing a purple balaclava, a purple leather jacket with a black bulletproof suit underneath, and holding a Sable International missile launcher.

"Up there!" Silver shouted.

By the time Spider-Man looked up, the masked figure disappeared in smokes. It left the missile launcher behind, though.

"Weird," said Spider-Man. "Just vanished like a ghost."

"Friend of yours?" Silver asked.

"No," said Spider-Man. "But I have a good idea who. Someone who hates Hammerhead so much to want to blow his head to smithereens."

* * *

The masked person who killed Hammerhead entered an apartment building through the fire escape. This person approaches a bulletin board filled with pictures of Maggia thugs. Hammerhead's picture is at the center of it. The masked person picks up a red marker and draws a red X on Hammerhead's picture, probably since he's dead for real this time.

Then this person took off the balaclava. It was...

Yuri Watanabe.

"Burn in hell, you monster," Yuri muttered, relieved that the biggest and baddest Maggia don is no more.

Then Yuri gets a call. It was Spider-Man. He must've figured out her new number, much to her dismay. She changed her number so he wouldn't contact her. But now she has to answer.

"What do you want?" asked Yuri.

 _"Yuri, I know that was you on Sable's base," said Spider-Man. "I know you killed Hammerhead."_

"You should be thanking me. That bastard is dead for good this time," said Yuri.

 _"That Maggia enforcer I found dead earlier, the purple streamers, the pictures of his victims, that was also you, wasn't it?" Spider-Man guessed._

"I was just grabbing a cup of coffee, and he showed up to kill me. He killed three innocent people trying to get to me, along with so many more in the past," Yuri explained. "He deserved what I did to him."

 _"Listen to yourself, Yuri. This isn't you," said Spider-Man._

"It is me. It is who I was supposed to be," Yuri said firmly. "Yuri Watanabe was nothing more than a mask. A mask I didn't even know I had until I finally took it off. The Yuri Watanabe you knew, she's nothing more than a memory... a wraith."

 _"You're my friend, Yuri. I care about you. We've stood by each other through everything. Please, don't make come after you," Spider-Man pleaded._

"Goodbye, Spider-Man," Yuri said darkly.

After hanging up, Yuri starts packing up. Inside one suitcase is everything she needs for her one-woman army against the remains of the Maggia. Sable tech. Black Cat tech. Anything she could get her hands on. However, as she zipped the suitcase shut, her heart twisted. The way she said "goodbye" to Spider-Man actually hurt her. She knew she still cared about him, but she is trying so hard to forget him.

All she needs to do now is disappear.

* * *

In the CEO's office at Oscorp, Norman is having yet another loud conversation over the phone and once again, it's with the still incarcerated Wilson Fisk. Despite no longer being mayor, Norman still finds a way to communicate with Fisk.

"The arc reactor tech you stole from Stark. That's all I ask for," said Norman.

 _"Careful of what you ask for, Osborn. I need that tech when I get out," said Fisk. "Our old friend Hammerhead learned a valuable lesson these past few months. You wanna control this city, you gotta adapt to the times."_

"We never should've made that deal with Hammerhead years ago," said Norman. "We could've put him behind bars a long time ago and prevented this chaos."

 _"Well, he's no longer with us, so he's not gonna be a problem anymore," said Fisk._

"NORMAN!"

Someone shouted Norman's name from outside the office. The person who shouted his name kicked the door open. It was Silver Sable, standing next to an unconscious security guard. She was angry. Very angry.

"I'll call you back," Norman said to Fisk before hanging up.

Silver storms in, grabs Norman by the collar, and pushes him towards the wall. She even aims a gun at his face.

"What the hell are you doing?" Norman asked.

"Project Olympus. You continued mass production without me!" Silver said angrily.

"So what?" asked Norman.

"Hammerhead almost succeeded," Silver answered. "You were supposed to wait for me to make my final decision."

"You wanted to shut down production. I saw benefits in continuing the project," Norman argued.

"Well, good. 'Cause I will be needing it more than ever," Silver said, still angry though.

"The civil war in your home country. Yeah, I've heard of it," said Norman. "So why are you still pointing a gun to my face?"

"You steal my tech behind my back, allow it to fall into Hammerhead's hands, and proceed with a project that could've led to the downfall of this city," Silver responded. "You're a disease on this city. I'd pull the trigger if I didn't have a conscience."

Silver holsters her gun and lets go of Norman.

"You call me a disease? You're the one who nearly destroyed the Financial District," Norman reminded her. "All that so-called effort to atone for your actions against this city, all for nothing."

"I know," Silver said with guilt. "But I will not be held responsible for your mistakes, Osborn. You relinquish Project Olympus to me immediately, and I will be keeping a close eye on you."

"Fine," said Norman. "But after this, we're done."

"That we can agree on," said Silver.

Silver takes her leave, only for Norman to say something to her.

"You are so full of yourself, Sable," Norman insulted. "You think that public kiss with that masked circus clown is convince everyone to give you benefit of the doubt? I know who you are. You can't escape it."

"As I recall, you hired me. The people's distrust towards me is your fault as much as it is mine," said Silver. "If we're lucky, you and this city will never see me again."

* * *

At the John F. Kennedy Airport, Mary Jane Watson was about to leave the country to go to Symkaria. She planned to report about the civil war in order to convince other countries, such as the US, to aid Silver Sable's cause. It was dangerous, but she has always been willing to risk her life for the greater good. As she read about the reports of Hammerhead's death on her phone, all she could think about is Peter. To think, they just got back together and now she has to leave. At least the video on Screwball's channel about Miles' new superhero name - Kid Arachnid - made her smile a bit. She likes it.

MJ reaches the front of the line, but just as she was about to get on the plane...

"MJ!"

MJ turns around and sees Peter running towards her. Security was chasing him, but he was running too fast for them to catch up with him.

"It's okay. It's okay," MJ said to the guards. "He's with me."

The guards stop chasing Peter as he finally reaches MJ. He quickly held her hands once he stopped running. He was really happy to see her, especially considering the situation.

"Didn't think you were gonna leave without saying goodbye face to face, huh?" Peter said.

"I guess not," MJ replied.

"Any chances I can change your mind?" Peter asked, although he already knew the answer.

"Not a chance," MJ answered. "But I will be back. I promise."

"I'm just worried," said Peter. "I know you can take care of yourself, but..."

"If it makes you feel any better, I brought a certain _gift_ of yours with me," said MJ.

MJ reaches into her suitcase and takes out her Spider-Plushie. MJ said "gift" as to not make people suspicious (in truth, she bought the toy herself). If she said "a piece of you with me," then people might suspect that Peter is Spider-Man.

"You always trusted Spider-Man to protect me, and he'll still be there with me," said MJ.

Peter shakes hands with the plushie and says, "Take care of her."

"I know he will," said MJ.

Peter and MJ lean in to kiss and...

"Hey!" An old man in the middle of the line shouted. "Some of us have somewhere to be..."

"Hey, you shut you mouth and wait for your turn, mister," said a female guard. She looks at the two young lovers and says, "Go ahead, you two."

Peter and MJ finally kiss. Most of the people waiting in line were touched. Their conversation made it easy to understand what is happening. Boy loves girl, girl loves boy, girl leaves country, boy misses girl. It's sad, but that only adds to how beautiful this kiss is.

"I know I already said this over the phone, but... I love you," said Peter.

"I love you, too," said MJ.

Peter watches as MJ leaves for the plane. He was afraid this would be the last he would see of her, but he still believes she will come back home to him. What she's doing, it's too noble to just ditch for him. With great power come great responsibility, right? MJ has the power of the press and she's using it for a good cause.

"See you soon, MJ," Peter hoped with a smile.

 **And so that ends my take on the Silver Lining DLC. It's pretty much the same, but with a few changes, of course. I wanted to use this chapter to mesh together the Silver Sable of the DLC and the Silver Sable of my story. Please let me know what you think of Silver Sable's story in this chapter. I would really appreciate it.**

 **Don't be afraid to give me your full, honest opinion about the rest of the chapter.**

 **Notes:**

 **\- I thought MJ and Peter deserved a proper goodbye. A face-to-face goodbye, plus a goodbye kiss. While I loved the phone call between them, a cutscene of a real goodbye would have been lovelier.**

 **\- The purple that Yuri wears (mask and jacket) is a nod to the color of the costume of Wraith in the comics. I guess every vigilante in this story starts with a homemade costume before upgrading to the real thing.**

 **\- This is only the second chapter (the first being Chapter 3) that doesn't have a Just the Facts episode with Jameson. That's because I needed a break from our favorite loudmouthed Spidey hater. Hope you didn't mind. I mean, there's plenty to enjoy here.**

 **MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!**


	22. The Perfect Life

**Remember the chapter where MJ dreamed of an alternate universe where she was had spider powers? Well, this time, it's Peter's turn. If you've read the chapter title, you may have an idea of what this could be about.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for the most recent reviews: gammaxmen80, K2-Black-Panther, Heinkelboy05, Redwall, josephguy217, Guest, Felipe Montenegro, CG, Snyder55**

 ** _To K2-Black-Panther_: Thanks for commenting on how I wrote Silver Sable. I kinda laughed when your wrote "kiss a spider-powered superhero", but hey, that's on me and I can't deny it. I'm very sure Screwball's character is basically social commentary on the effects of social media on modern society.**

 ** _ANOTHER reply to K2-Black-Panther_: I was originally planning for Yuri to be commissioner for a longer time, but the Turf Wars DLC really shook up my plans. It's just too bad her time as commissioner in my story was short-lived.**

 ** _To Knox_: While I'm against crossovers in my Spidey fic (Tony Stark was really just an excuse for a party chapter), the most likely hero to show up next is C. As for the second question about villains, the most likely ones are C, G, and K (still planning on it, though).**

 ** _To Felipe Montenegro_: I may not be able to satisfy your request, but the part about Peter's struggles and losses getting to him, that I could address... to an extent... in this chapter, which I've actually been planning for a while now.**

 ** _To CG_: While I do understand your point of view, I'm mostly content with her character development. Her backstory (grudge against the Maggie) and repressed dark feelings (Spidey said in the DLC that it took a toll on her) convinced me enough. I'm glad you agreed on the Peter/MJ goodbye part.**

 ** _To tbone_: Still working on it. He'll be back, that's for sure (he has a daughter here, after all).**

It has been two weeks since the death of Hammerhead. Two weeks since Silver Sable nearly destroyed the Financial District. Two weeks since Mary Jane Watson left for Symkaria to tell the world about the horrors of the country's civil war. Without MJ, all Peter can do is live every day like any other day with the exception of dinner dates and acting like a married couple over the phone. Be Peter Parker at Mick's, be Spider-Man for the city. At least he has Kid Arachnid (a.k.a. Miles Morales) watching over the city with him.

Right now, Peter is suited up as Spider-Man and is currently hanging upside down on the jib of a construction crane, just watching a video on his phone. But it wasn't just some cat video or a movie trailer. It was a video posted by MJ. A video of suffering Symkarian citizens hiding from the civil war, including interviews from these citizens about how the war affects them. It was an attempt to persuade other countries to come to Symkaria's aid.

"Still pining for the redhead, Spider?"

Black Cat. Of course she'd show. Now that she has revealed herself to be alive and well to New York, she is free to show herself whenever she wants to.

"You know that coming to me means you risk getting yourself arrested, right?" Spider-Man said.

"And if you do try that, then we can have some fun," Black Cat said flirtatiously. "Your girlfriend is being stupid, you know. Putting herself into the middle of a war is one thing, but to leave you all alone, that's another."

"She left for a good reason. Silver Sable needs all the help she can get," said Spider-Man.

"Mary Jane. Sable. You really know how to pick the women in your life, Spider," Black Cat commented.

"Why are you really here, Felicia?" asked Spider-Man.

Black Cat uses her grapple device to hand upside down next to him. As usual, she lays her hands on him in a very affectionate manner. It annoyed Spider-Man, but it also gave him an uncomfortable feeling inside.

"Just thought maybe we can revisit old times. You know, you and me busting crime together," said Black Cat.

"Just so you can rob from the criminals behind my back, no thanks," Spider-Man said.

"You're never gonna let that one go, aren't you?" Black Cat said.

"Look, Felicia, I know MJ is out of the country and she'll be gone for who knows how long. But that doesn't mean you can just try and take me back. I won't betray her just like that," said Spider-Man. "I love her."

"Aw, you never said that to me," Black Cat replied.

Spider-Man didn't respond to that. He just watched MJ's video again.

"Well, once you're ready to have some real fun, you'll know where to find me," said Black Cat. "I know you're still mad at me, but know that I don't want that to stay permanent between us. I just want to remind you that there are more fish in the sea. You never know what could happen."

Black Cat grapples away, leaving Spider-Man to mope alone about MJ being in Symkaria.

Still, something Black Cat said hit him. "You never know what could happen," she said. Before he could drive himself crazy thinking about those words, he swings down to visit a couple of people at the cemetery.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

May Parker and Ben Parker. Spider-Man kneels down in front of their graves. He'd like to take his mask off, but it was too risky. Then again, he chose to come here while wearing his suit. Then again, this isn't the first time he's visited the cemetery in costume. It's a wonder how no one has reported of his visits in the cemetery and used that to figure out his identity. Sure, his fans would respect his privacy because they understand the consequences of revealing his identity, but what about Jameson's supporters?

"I'm losing it," Spider-Man said sadly to his aunt and uncle. "I can't believe it's Felicia of all people who finally talked me into admitting what I've been afraid of. I mean, everything's been crazy these past few months, both for better and for worse. MJ's in Symkaria. Miles has a new suit and a new superhero name. Yuri's too deep in the dark. Sable didn't kiss me goodbye, thank God. Felicia's trying to take advantage of MJ's absence. But it's the first thing that's scaring me the most. I believe MJ will come back. I know she can take care of herself, but... I'm worried. I've lost so much and gained just as much, yet I feel like I lost too much. MJ's caught in the middle of a civil war. Yuri and I are no longer working together. I just don't know how much more I can take. I know it sounds selfish of me, but... how much more can I lose? I give so much for this city, yet I get rewarded with pain. What if... what if... what I lose everything? What would I do? Go to Felicia? Not making that mistake again. Keep being Spider-Man? Maybe, but..."

Spider-Man stops talking there and just thinks. He's already lost so much. His parents, his aunt, his uncle, and now he fears he might lose MJ. Add Yuri's descent to darkness and you have a Spider-Man who wishes more than ever that things could be different.

"I just wish you were both here," Spider-Man said to the gravestones. "Maybe things could be different."

He gets a call from Kid Arachnid.

 _"Peter, where are you?" Kid Arachnid asked. "Purple-masked vigilante sighting at the Harlem Sanitarium."_

"Yuri," Spider-Man hoped.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

The Harlem Sanitarium. The place where it all started. The place where Hammerhead killed Yuri's officers in front of her and drove her dangerously close to breaking point. The place where Lt. Drake (the officer with the Spider-Man watch, which was a birthday gift from his kid) met his demise. But Spider-Man couldn't let all these past memories distract him from his priority. Yuri.

Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid find a dead Maggia thug in an office. Just like with the Maggia enforcer a few weeks ago, the thug's dead body was surrounded by purple streamers and pictures of his victims.

"Is it strange that I'm more scared of the strings and pictures than I am of the dead body?" Kid Arachnid asked.

"Don't worry. I feel the same," said Spider-Man. "Yuri, what are you doing?"

"Let's split up," said Kid Arachnid. "I'll search outside, just in case she's already left."

As soon as Kid Arachnid left the room, Spider-Man found something among the mess. It was a small bomb that looks very familiar.

"One of Mytserio's hallucinogenic bombs," Spider-Man recognized. "But what's Yuri doing with this stuff?"

The bomb was placed on top of a piece of paper with written words on it. Spider-Man picks up the bomb in order to read the note.

 _"I'm sorry, Spider-Man."_

Spider-Man's Spider Sense goes off a second before the bomb did, releasing a gas cloud filled with hallucinogenic properties. Mysterio likes to create illusions and that includes mental illusions... from his victims' minds.

"Wh-Why... Yuri... why?" Spider-Man grunted.

Spider-Man faints and passes out. That was weird, because Mysterio's bomb should've made him start seeing things. _Why am I falling asleep_ , is the last thing on his mind before he blacked out.

* * *

Peter finally opens his eyes.

But he wasn't in the sanitarium anymore. No, he was still in his Spider-Man suit, hanging on the side of a building. Remembering that he was hit by one of Mysterio's illusion-inducing toys, he told himself that what he's seeing is false. He slaps himself in the face. He felt it. So, maybe he's dreaming, not hallucinating.

"Why do I get the feeling a dozen Mysterios are gonna gang up on me at any minute?" Spider-Man wondered worriedly.

The phone in his mask rang, startling him. It was MJ. Weird. She can't call him from Symkaria. He answered anyway.

 _"Hey, honey," MJ greeted._

"Uh, hey, honey," Spider-Man replied awkwardly. "I'm, uh, a little busy right now. So, uh, can we talk later?"

 _"But we promised your Uncle Ben that we would meet him at F.E.A.S.T.," said MJ._

"Uncle Ben?" Spider-Man muttered, confused.

 _"You didn't forget, did you?" MJ asked._

"Uh, no. No, of course not," said Spider-Man. "I'll meet you at F.E.A.S.T. in ten, twenty minutes... I guess."

"Are you okay?" MJ asked. "You sound off today."

"I'm just... I'm just glad to hear your voice," said Spider-Man.

 _"It's only been three hours since we woke up together and you already miss me? Wow, you are hopeless without me," MJ teased._

"What can I say? You complete me," said Spider-Man.

 _"Anyway, I'm gonna go get ready," said MJ. "Richard's gonna be so happy to see F.E.A.S.T. for the first time. I can hear him giggling already."_

"Uh, sure. Can't wait," Spider-Man said awkwardly.

He hangs up before he hears anything else weird. Richard? Who's Richard? Best way to find out is to get to F.E.A.S.T. Just as he was about to swing there... BOOM! He saw and heard an explosion just a block away. People were screaming and running. Since being late is his thing, he might as well handle whatever is going on nearby as fast as he can.

What he found is Kid Arachnid lying down in the middle of the road next to a damaged tank truck that was lying on its side. Oh, and there's fire as well. Spider-Man hits a fire hydrant with a manhole cover so the water below will spring out and put out the fire. He then swings towards the black-suited rookie superhero and helps him up.

"You okay?" asked Spider-Man.

"Well, this is only the third tank truck I've accidentally exploded in two months, so... yeah, I'm okay," Kid Arachnid said nervously.

"Okay, what's the situation and why didn't you call me?" Spider-Man asked.

The answer came in the form of Herman Schultz, a.k.a. Shocker. He quickly fires a shock blast at the two spider-powered heroes. They both jumped out of the line of fire with style.

"Seriously, Herman? How many times do we have to go through this you-break-out, I-put-you-back-behind-bars routine?" Spider-Man asked.

"Until one of us is dead!" Shocker answered loudly. "And we both know you don't kill."

Shocker uses shockwaves to leap high and goes for a shock ground pound, only for Spider-Man to dodge the hard landing. He quickly webs Shocker in the face. Kid Arachnid did a flip kick to the supervillain's face. Shocker was about to fire more shock blasts, but Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid each fire web shots at both his hands. They pull on the web lines together, sending Shocker flying towards them. They deliver the KO punch to the face to end the fight. They webbed him up just in case.

"That was surprisingly easy," said Spider-Man.

"Well, it's two against one. No question who'd win this fight," said Kid Arachnid. "Then again, when it's just the two of you, it's still no question on who'll come out victorious."

Three police cars show up at the scene. To Spider-Man's shock, one of the cops that showed up is...

"Jefferson Davis."

"Nice work once again, Spider-Man," said Jeff. "You too, Kid Arachnid."

"Yeah, well, uh, all in a day's work, Officer Davis," Kid Arachnid said nervously.

That should make it clear that Jeff doesn't know his son is the man behind the black mask. Jeff then takes a look at the flaming tank truck. He had that disappointed look on his face, one that made Miles feel really bad about his earlier screw-up.

"I heard it over the radio," Jeff said to the younger hero. "There's rookie mistake and then there's just being a rookie."

"I'll get better. After all, I have the best teacher," Kid Arachnid said, gesturing to his red-suited mentor.

"Well, good luck with him, Spider-Man," said Jeff. "We've had enough exploding trucks in this city, if you ask me. But at least we got Schultz."

"Until he breaks out again," Spider-Man said sarcastically.

Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid swing away, allowing the officers to take care of Shocker. Despite the knowledge that all this is just a dream, it felt like he was really seeing Jeff alive and well.

"You haven't told your dad who you really are?" Spider-Man asked.

"Dude, can you imagine what he'll do if he finds out? He could have me grounded and arrested," said Kid Arachnid. "And I would very much like to go to college."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

After changing in an alleyway, Peter runs all the way to F.E.A.S.T. One odd thing he noticed is that there is no plaque with Aunt May's name on it. The next odd thing he noticed is MJ carrying a baby in her arms. At first, he thought she was babysitting, but when he heard her say "Richard" to the baby, it got him thinking. Then the third odd thing he saw is that MJ had a wedding ring on her finger.

Then he looked at the wedding ring on his own finger.

"Hey, Pete," MJ greeted, having seen him enter the building. "You're late, but so is your uncle."

MJ kisses him on the lips. Richard, the baby, greets Peter with laughter. Peter can't help but smile. Is this baby his and MJ's? Did they name him after his father, Richard Parker?

"Hey, little guy," Peter greeted his son.

MJ lets Peter carry their son. It was surreal feeling, hallucination or not. He's dreamed of this before, but this feels different. Richard grabbed onto his hand, causing him to smile even more.

"For a second there, I thought something was wrong with you," said MJ.

"How can there be something wrong with me? I have you and I have him," Peter said, smiling at his son.

"So, I read the news about you and Miles and Shocker," MJ mentioned. "Another exploding truck, huh?"

"I'll take care of it," Peter promised.

"That's why I love you, Pete. You never give up on anyone, even on someone as messy as Miles," said MJ.

 _Why am I falling for this_ , Peter wondered. He's dreaming and he knows it, yet he's living it as if it was real. Maybe he just really misses MJ. Well, that's mostly the reason, for sure.

"Peter!"

As if seeing Jefferson Davis wasn't haunting enough, Peter sees Martin Li coming towards him. An instinct prompted him to take a step back, although he had a feeling that this Martin Li may not be like the one he knew.

"You're just in time," said Martin. "Everything's ready. All we have to do now is wait for your uncle."

"Thanks for setting all this up, Mr. Li," said MJ. "I'm sure Pete and his family really appreciate it."

"Please, MJ, we're all practically family. It's _Martin_ , not Mr. Li," said Martin.

"Okay, Martin," MJ obliged.

This all feels even weirder for Peter. Martin looks actually happy. Or is he just pretending, like before? Peter gives Richard back to MJ and sneaks off while his "wife" was busy talking to Martin. Peter makes his way to Martin's office. It wasn't locked. Weird. As soon as he walked inside, he saw something that answered his question.

It was a picture of Martin with his parents... except Martin is a grown-up in the picture and his parents are of old age.

"His parents are alive?" Peter wondered out loud.

"Snooping around, Peter?"

Peter was startled as he turned around and saw Martin standing by the doorway. Despite seeing the picture, he can't help but feel cautious around F.E.A.S.T.'s owner. This felt like the moment Martin caught him exiting the storage room, which was a clear sign that he had found Martin's secret room.

"I know what you're thinking, Peter," said Martin.

"You do?" Peter asked nervously.

"How lucky we both are to have such wonderful people in our lives," Martin said with a smile. "You always reminded me of me. A loving family is just among the many things we have in common."

"Y-Yeah. Aren't we both lucky?" Peter replied.

"Martin!" A homeless woman called. "Ben's here!"

Peter and Martin head downstairs to the party area. Peter stands next to MJ and Richard as everyone waits eagerly for the moment. It definitely looked like a birthday party here at F.E.A.S.T. Question is, who is it for? Two people walk into the room. One of them was covering the other person's eyes. Peter's eyes widened upon recognizing the two familiar faces.

"Aunt May? Uncle Ben?" Peter muttered with shock.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone exclaimed.

Ben took his hands off his wife's face, allowing her to see the surprise party for her. She was more or less surprised. May and Ben greet Martin with hugs, followed by MJ and Richard. Peter just stood there, unable to move. To see Aunt May and Uncle Ben... he can't describe the feeling with words.

"Peter, hey," Ben greeted.

"Glad to see you here," said May.

Ben and May hug Peter at the same time. Peter puts his arms around both of them tightly. He missed them so much. It felt real and not real at the same time. He even cried a little.

"Hey, wipe that tear off, young man. This is supposed to be a happy day," said Ben.

Peter wipes the tear off his face.

"I'm just... I..." Peter can't control his smile and his words. "I'm just really happy to see you too."

"We know. We missed you at the house," said Ben. "Place hasn't been the same without you?"

"So, how's the married life?" May asked.

"It's wonderful," MJ said, adding herself and her son to the conversation. "Pete's acting more like the wife, honestly. The cooking, the cleaning, the feeding, he does most of the work."

"All that while working for Dr. Octavius. You juggle too much in your life, son," said Ben.

"Son," Peter mumbled. To hear that word said to him by his uncle, it just made his smile.

"Speaking of Dr. Octavius, is he coming?" asked May.

"Pete told me he was too busy to come," MJ informed.

"B-B-But he told me to tell you, happy birthday," Peter said to his aunt.

"Well, tell him I said, thank you," said May.

"C'mon, May. Time for you to blow out the candles," said Martin.

After May blew out the candles, it was time to serve the cake. May, being the birthday celebrant, was given the first piece. While May talks with Martin, MJ, and some homeless people, Peter just stood in the corner and stared at, well, everything. A party for May at F.E.A.S.T. thrown by Martin Li. It felt like the old days. It's just too bad those days can never come back for real. This may be a cruel reminder, but it was still a beautiful sight.

"I believe this is yours," Ben said, approaching Peter with a slice of cake.

"I... wasn't really hungry," said Peter. "Plus, sugar is fattening."

"This is your aunt's special day, Peter, and you're gonna eat whether you like it or not," Ben said with a playful authoritarian tone.

Peter and Ben laughed together as Peter took the cake and ate slowly.

"Quite the life you built for yourself, Peter," Ben said.

"Almost feels too good to be true," Peter commented.

"A wife. A kid. A promising job. You make me and May feel very proud," said Ben.

"I'm glad to hear that," said Peter.

"Just be sure to use that head of yours to remind yourself of what's important," said Ben. "Remember, with great power..."

"Comes great responsibility," Peter and Ben said together.

"Never forgot," said Peter.

Ben puts a hand on his nephew's shoulders in a respectable way and says, "I'm proud of you, son. I truly am."

Peter puts his cake down and hugs his uncle one more time. He just wishes this could be for real.

"I couldn't have done all this without you. You may be my uncle, but you're also my dad," said Peter.

"Well, someone's got to be. Otherwise, the baby might have to take that job," Ben joked.

Ben returns to the party, leaving Peter alone to enjoy his cake. Knowing the "cake is a lie," he didn't even bother. He just waited until he could wake up. As much as he didn't want to wake up, he knew this was, as he said to Ben, too good to be true.

"Hey, Peter."

As if ghosts from the past weren't enough, in comes Harry Osborn himself, not sick and feeling very much well. Harry greets his best friend with a hug, which Peter happily returns.

"Sorry I'm late. Business was murder," said Harry. "You know how dad is."

"Don't we all?" Peter replied.

"You know, I still can't believe you refused to start a business with me and decided to work for Otto Octavius," said Harry. "Don't get me wrong. He's a great man and his work is super helpful to the world. It's just... all that talk in high school about starting a business together..."

"If Oscorp is willing to partner with Octavius Industries, we can still technically make that dream true," said Peter.

"If I was in charge of Oscorp, I'd make that partnership happen in a heartbeat," said Harry. "But with Dad running Oscorp, it's just not possible."

"Well, one day then," Peter promised.

"I'm just glad you're at least helping me with my mom's research stations," said Harry. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

"Harry! Good to see you," MJ greeted.

"You too, MJ," said Harry.

Harry and MJ hug. Harry then looks at Peter and MJ's son.

"And how's Pete Jr. doing today?" Harry asked.

"Happy to see you, apparently," said MJ.

"Man, you two make so jealous," said Harry.

"Maybe Mr. Party Boy can start looking for that special someone," MJ suggested.

"I'm still 24, MJ. Plenty of time to be ready," said Harry.

"Don't wait too long. Before you know it, your hair's already turning grey," Peter joked.

Peter, MJ, and Harry laughed together. While Peter's sense of humor (especially Spider-Man's humor) isn't for everyone, MJ and Harry truly admire it. _It's good having friends like them_ , Peter thought. He still has MJ (sort of), but Harry was in Europe for _treatment_ , as far as he knows.

"But really, it's nice to have you here, Harry," Peter said happily.

"Hey, you guys are family. Why wouldn't I be here?" Harry said.

"The Dynamic Trio, always and forever," MJ added.

"Look at the three of us," Harry said proudly. "To think, just yesterday, we were just wandering around New York trying out bad pizza. But now..."

"We made it," Peter said. "We all got jobs, good ones. Our future looks bright."

"Well, for you and MJ, your future is now," said Harry.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

After the party, Peter goes to Octavius Industries to check on Otto Octavius. And there he was. The man he looked up to in college. The man he sacrificed his dream job and partnership with Harry for. Just sitting there looking happy at the progress of his work. No green suit, no metal arms attached to his back, just the scientist who wanted to use his work to help people.

And guess who the latest client is... Lance Corporal Texidor. The fitting of his new arm was already finished, and it worked like a dream. "Dream" being the key word here.

"Thank you, Dr. Octavius," said Texidor.

"Thank my assistant as well," Otto said, gesturing to Peter. "Without him, this wouldn't be possible."

"Then thank you, Mr. Parker," said Texidor.

"You're welcome, corporal," said Peter.

"Well, you don't want to keep your daughter waiting, corporal. Let's get you home," said Otto.

As Texidor left the building with his new arm, Peter talks with Otto.

"Another day, another satisfied customer," said Otto.

"I'm really proud of us, Doc," said Peter.

"So am I," said Otto. "But this is just the beginning. We still have a long way to go, but we have everything we need to stay in business for a hundred years."

"Hopefully longer," said Peter.

"I thought you and your friend Harry Osborn wanted to start a business together," said Otto.

"It's a work in progress, but I'm not leaving this place," said Peter. "Your work is too important to just leave behind."

Otto smiled and patted Peter on the back.

"Even after I told you about my sickness, you still stayed to help me," Otto remembered. "I can't ask for a better partner than you, Peter."

"If we're lucky, you won't have to retire early," said Peter.

"How about we drink to our success today?" Otto suggested. "Assuming you haven't eaten too much at the party."

"I barely ate anything at all," said Peter.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Nighttime is here. MJ is working at the Bugle. Richard is being babysat by Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Peter gets back to his Spider-Man duties. Deciding to just roll with it until he wakes up, he does the usual Spidey stuff. There was nothing going on right, but Jameson's latest episode is out. He bets his entire wallet that Jameson hasn't changed at all in this dreamworld.

 _"Welcome to Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson," Jameson started. "Lots of you have given me grief for much grief I give Kid Arachnid, but understand that I do it for good reasons. Kid Arachnid may be a so-called hero, but he causes more trouble than he stops. Proof? Maybe it's got something to do with, oh, I don't know... THE THIRD TANK TRUCK HE HAS CAUSED TO EXPLODE IN THE PAST SIX WEEKS, WHICH COULD'VE KILLED INNOCENT BYSTANDERS JUST MINDING THEIR OWN BUSINESS! This is the problem with Kid Arachnid. He's reckless and he never learns from his mistakes. He's lucky he hasn't gotten anyone killed, but luck runs out eventually. Why can't he be more like Spider-Man? Now that there is a real hero."_

Spider-Man had to slap himself in the face again. Did Jameson just call him a hero?

 _Jameson continued. "Spider-Man has had his fair share of mistakes, but at least learned from them as he matured. He knows how to stop crime while minimizing property damage. Now, yes, Spider-Man is the teacher and it's his job to teach Kid Arachnid how to do the job right, but it's the student's job to heed his teacher's teachings. Considering Kid Arachnid has started going on solo missions and has caused way more problems than he did when he partnered up with Spider-Man, it's clear he cares more about the glory rather than the well-being of the fine citizens of this city, which is unlike the hero he claims to look up to. We can only hope that Spider-Man can discipline that delinquent he calls a sidekick before that black-suited menace causes more damage to just public property. Spider-Man, if you're listening, good luck. We're counting on you. You've never let us down and we're not gonna stop believing in you."_

"Wow" is all Spider-Man could say. If he was deluding himself into thinking this is all real, hearing Jameson praise him is definitely a clear sign that this isn't real.

And then something else weird happened. There was a light in the sky with a spider symbol on it.

"Hello, what do we have here?" Spider-Man wondered, intrigued.

Spider-Man swings towards where the light originated from. It was coming the rooftop of the Chinatown precinct. He stylishly lands there to see a searchlight that has a spider symbol placed on it to project the shape of the spider symbol on his costume in the sky. Standing next to the searchlight is a cop wearing a black trench coat. Because it's a windy evening, the bottom edge of the trench coat danced to the wind.

"Commissioner Watanabe," Spider-Man greeted.

Yuri turns around and greets the vigilante with a smile. Once again, the pain of the real world only makes this much more painful for Spider-Man in the dreamworld. The real Yuri is broken, driven to madness by Hammerhead and became a murderous vigilante. She is the reason he is having this dream, probably so he'd be too busy hallucinating to come looking for her.

But to see her on the roof of this very police station as the police commissioner ( _not to mention that awesome trench coat_ , he thought) was a welcome sight.

"I like it. It's nice," Spider-Man said, referring to the Spider Signal. "But you could've just called, you know."

"Hey, you were the one who suggested the Spider Signal when I became Commissioner," Yuri reminded. "And since Sable found out about our partnership and informed the city, I thought to myself, screw subtlety."

"But you get to keep the best job, at least," said Spider-Man.

"Best job, huh? Well, the mayor decided you're my responsibility, not hers," said Yuri.

"So, Commish, what's the sitch?" Spider-Man asked, making a rhyme and a pop culture reference at the same time.

Yuri walks over to the railing and takes the time to admire the view. Nighttime Manhattan, it's truly a wonderful sight. Spider-Man stood next to her, but he found himself staring at her instead of the view.

"We found Hammerhead. He's at the old Harlem Sanitarium," Yuri reported. "This is our chance to take him down for good. Silver Sable and her army of mercenaries are already on their way there, but they're gonna need your help. We need to keep the inevitable fight from spreading. Keep the situation isolated on the sanitarium. I'll be there as fast as I can and I wanna be there when you face Hammerhead. Then I can finally put the cuffs on that ugly son of a..."

Yuri stopped when she noticed that Spider-Man has been doing nothing but staring at her while she was talking.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" asked Yuri.

"I'm just... I just... um... I'm just really happy to see you, Yuri," said Spider-Man.

"We see each other almost every day," said Yuri.

"I know," said Spider-Man. "But every time I leave after our talks, I start to miss you."

Yuri smiled sarcastically and said, "Just go, superhero."

Spider-Man jumps off the railing backwards and starts his swing towards Harlem. He kept looking over his shoulder at Yuri until the Chinatown precinct was too far from sight. Add this to another one of the many things he wishes could be real. Had her career as police commissioner lasted longer, what happened on that rooftop could've been real.

"Miss you," he said sadly.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man arrived at the Harlem Sanitarium just in time for the firefight between Hammerhead's Thugs and Silver Sable's men. Hammerhead's thugs were armed with Sable weapons. That part confused Spider-Man. He kept his distance from the fight to think.

"I don't get it. If Martin Li never became Mister Negative and never blew up City Hall and Norman was never the mayor and never hired Sable, then how did Hammerhead's goons get their hands on her weapons?" Spider-Man wondered. "Wait, forget that. Just a dream, not an alternate timeline. Just roll with it, Spidey. Just roll with it."

Spider-Man announces his presence by web-snatching a mini-gun from a brute and web-throws it back at the brute. Spider-Man fires an Impact Web shot to stick the brute to the wall. Just as he was about to land, he web-zips himself towards a thug and kicks him to unconsciousness.

"Hi, everyone. Sorry I'm late. Had to talk to one of my favorite girls on the way," Spider-Man joked. "And yes, Sable, you're one of them."

"Flattered," Silver said half-sarcastically.

"Aw, you do like me," Spider-Man teased.

"Fight now. Jokes later," said Silver.

"I guess some things don't change," Spider-Man commented to himself.

Spider-Man starts with a series of his special finishers. He kicks Thug #2 to the air and spin-kicks him in the back. He flip-kicks Thug #3 and then web-pulls his face to the ground hard. He hits Thug #3 with two charging punches across the face and knocks him out with an aerial spin kick. Thanks to his Spider Sense, he dodges bullets coming from behind him. While in mid-air, he shoots Electric Web at Thug #4. The electricity shocking Thug #4 spreads to the nearest thug - whom we'll call Thug #5. With the two of them rendered temporarily immobile due to the Electric Web, they were shot easily by Sable agents.

"I hope those things are set to stun," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man fires web shots at the faces of Thug #5 and #6 at the same time and then fires Impact Web shots at both of them, sending them flying against Thugs #7 and #8, gluing them together.

"Hammerhead's inside," Silver informed. "If we don't draw him out now, he will try to escape through the back."

"Well, you guys distract his boys while I go inside," Spider-Man suggested.

"I'm coming with you," said Silver.

"Team up? Cool!" Spider-Man accepted.

Silver charges into the battlefield firing at everyone in sight. She kills/incapacitates seven thugs during all the running and shooting. She hits a thug in the head with a front-flip kick. She dodges gunfire and fires at Thug #16 with style. She no-look-shoots at Thug #17. A brutish thug - or Thug #18 - tries to hit her with his huge mini-gun, but she dodges the swing. She quickly follows the dodge with two quick kicks, one to the stomach and one of the jaw. She aims her pistols at his chest and shoots him at point blank range.

"This is my dream, so why is Sable killing people?" Spider-Man mumbled to himself.

A jetpack-equipped Hammerhead thug grabs one of the officers and was about to execute in mid-air. Before anyone else could do anything, the thug gets hit with an EMP grenade, shorting out his jetpack and causing him to fall. He dropped the officer in the process, but Spider-Man saved him. The EMP grenade came from the person who just face-kicked the jetpack thug.

Black Cat.

"What are you doing here?" Spider-Man asked.

"Trying to be a real hero, like you keep telling me," said Black Cat. "Don't worry. I'm not gonna pick someone's pocket when we're done. This is purely business."

"Right, 'cause you partnered with Hammerhead once," Spider-Man said. It was purely a guess.

"I was undercover," Black Cat reminded.

"Stop chatting and fight!" Silver ordered.

Black Cat uses her grappling hook to drag a lead pipe to a couple of thugs. It hit Thug #20 in the head and Thug #21 in the stomach. She then flips her way around incoming bullets as she throws a smoke bomb at Thug #22. While he's busy being blinded and coughing, Black Cat wraps her legs around him and slams his head to the ground. She grapples Thug #23 closer and flip kicks him hard in the face. That's a broken jaw and a few broken teeth for him.

"Ouch," Spider-Man reacted.

"You can't be gentle with these guys," said Black Cat.

"Still, try not to break their jaws," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man fires a web shot at a thug trying to attack Black Cat from behind. Black Cat uses her grappling hook to hit a thug trying to attack Spider-Man from behind.

"I sensed him coming," Spider-Man said.

"Just returning the favor," Black Cat flirted.

"Let's go!" Silver shouted.

Silver grabs on to Spider-Man and he swings his way to an open window on the top floor. Spider-Man turns around to see that Yuri and other police officers have arrived. As she shoots at Hammerhead's thugs, Yuri looks up and waves at Spider-Man, telling him "we got this."

"Thanks, Yuri," Spider-Man said gratefully.

Silver grabs Spider-Man by the wrist, pulls him with her, and says, "C'mon!"

"Hey, watch the web shooters," Spider-Man complained as he got dragged.

Hammerhead was in the basement, packing up everything he can. His boys outside are tasked with keeping Sable and the police busy to prepare for his getaway. He's come so far to get all this Sable equipment to help him revitalize the mob and he's not gonna just surrender it without a fight. Of course, he's not looking for a fight. He needs more time.

"Pack up all the Sable gear and get the car ready," Hammerhead ordered. "We gotta get underground. Literally."

Hammerhead and four of his men can hear fighting sounds outside the door. Banging stuff on wood. Blaster fire. Quips. The quips definitely give away who is outside the door. All the four thugs in the room arm themselves with at least one Sable gun, just in case you-know-who could be barging in.

And he did, kicking one of their friends through the door.

"Surprise!" Spider-Man joked.

Spider-Man dodges all the blaster fire as webs the thugs in the face. Silver comes in a few seconds later and takes on the thugs head-on.

Silver spin-kicks Thug #1 in the face and shoots Thug #2 dead. She takes one of her shield gauntlets back and uses said shield to ram Thug #3 to the wall. Spider-Man web-throws Thug #4 at Hammerhead. Hammerhead smacks the incoming thug away.

"No more toys for you, you big, metal-domed baby," Spider-Man taunted.

Silver aims her pistols at Hammerhead and says, "Put down the case and surrender, or else."

"Okay," Hammerhead said mischievously, sounding like he's trying to pull something.

Hammerhead quickly pulls out a Tommy gun that shoots the same type of lasers as Sable's guns do. Spider-Man and Silver Sable jump out of the way and find cover due to the Tommy gun's very high rate of fire.

"You like it? I thought I'd go old school and new school at the same time," said Hammerhead. "Fitted this old bad boy with some of your tech, Sable."

"At least he's not a cyborg," Spider-Man said to himself. "Sable, combo!"

"Which one?" Silver asked with a smile.

"Uh... whichever," Spider-Man answered awkwardly.

Spider-Man jumps high and fires a web shot at Hammerhead's face. While Hammerhead is distracted with the sticky stuff on his face, Spider-Man and Silver Sable perform a combo. Spider-Man does a little breakdancing that ends with him giving Silver a boost. Silver shoots in mid-air, hitting Hammerhead on the forehead where his metal plate is, stunning him a little. Spider-Man jumps, catches Silver during free fall, and throws her at Hammerhead. Silver activates her shield and hits Hammerhead in the face with it using a mid-air spin strike, knocking him down on his back. The metal-headed don was still conscious, but too hurt to stand up.

"Can't wait to do that for real," Spider-Man said quietly. "If I ever see Sable again, that is."

"Well done," Silver said proudly. "High five."

Silver raises her hand high and Spider-Man raises his hand in response. She high-fives him. Hard, to be specific. A quiet "ow" escaped his lips. He's shocked again. Last time, it took him the fourth try to get her to entertain the idea of a high five. In this dreamworld, she's the one who initiated it.

 _Hopefully, she'll lighten up a bit after the war_ , Spider-Man thought.

As Silver Sable reported to her agents that Hammerhead is ready for arresting, Black Cat walked in. She was certainly impressed with the work that Spider-Man and Silver did with Hammerhead.

"I bet he's gonna feel that in the morning," Black Cat commented.

"So, no wallets looted?" asked Spider-Man.

Black Cat puts her hands in the air and turns in a circle to show him that she has nothing that is not hers on her person. All that's on her are smoke bombs and EMP grenades.

"I just wish I could've been here to deliver the final punch," said Black Cat.

"But protecting the police and those Sable agents are more important," said Spider-Man.

"Still trying to get used to this whole hero thing, Spider," said Black Cat. "It feels good, but... not as fun."

"Trust me. You'll think of it that way soon," said Spider-Man. "Just remember that this a huge responsibility..."

"And with great power, comes great responsibility, yadda, yadda, yadda," Black Cat interrupted.

"I am proud of you, Felicia," said Spider-Man. "Really, I am."

"Well, I suppose being a real hero has its perks," said Black Cat. "Anyway, I should be going. Tell the missus I said hi."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Peter decided to return home. Home being a penthouse that he and MJ own. Peter'd wonder how they could afford it, but then he remembered that Otto Octavius' business is more successful here than in the real world. More grants equals a higher salary for Peter equals enough money to manage a married life with MJ. He enters the penthouse through the balcony's sliding doors.

He takes off his mask and greets his wife, who was sitting on the couch with Richard in her arms.

"Heard the news. First, Fisk. Now, Hammerhead. New York's gonna feel a lot safer with those guys behind bars," said MJ.

"Including little Richie," said Peter.

"I can imagine him hating that nickname when he grows up," MJ commented.

"Then I'll stop calling him Richie," said Peter.

Peter changes out of his suit in the bathroom before sitting down next to his wife. Wife. It was weird to call her that. True, it's all he's ever dreamed about. But a Mysterio-induced hallucination is not how he wanted to see this. He can't wake up. Whatever Yuri did to that hallucinogen bomb, it's keeping him out for an awfully longer time than usual.

"Hey, are you okay?" MJ asked, noticing that he's feeling down.

"Uh... s-sure," Peter lied.

"Pete," MJ scolded. "What's wrong?"

"I... I can't tell you," said Peter.

What's the point, even? She's a part of his hallucination so to her, everything is real. Why bother telling a hallucination that all of this fake? But she's not gonna stop asking him and he's not waking up any time soon.

"This all just feels too good to be true, to be honest," said Peter. "I mean, how can I guy like me have so much, deserve so much?"

MJ nudges him and says, "Don't say that, Peter. You deserve everything you have in your life. Aren't you happy?"

"Of-Of-Of course I am," said Peter. "But..."

"Is it not enough?" MJ wondered.

"Of course it's enough," said Peter. "I have everything I could ask for. A family who loves me. Friends that support either me and/or my alter ego. The city loves me, including Jameson. It's just... is it even real?"

"Do I need to slap you in the face, Pete?" MJ said, laughing between words.

"I tried that. I'm still here," said Peter.

"Pete," MJ said softly. "Even when you have the perfect life, life is still never easy. Maybe you're not used to having everything easy, but I'm guessing that's part of your problem. You have to take what you have in live and live through it no matter how happy or miserable it is. Live life how you want to live it. Nothing more, nothing less. Just be you and do what you can for yourself and for others. It's not always about you, Pete."

"I know that," said Peter.

"Then why does it sound like it's your world that's at jeopardy?" MJ asked.

Richard's little sneeze captured the attention of his parents. They were both still so young. Being married at this age was amazing enough, but to have a baby at this point in their lives is truly amazing.

"Tell me, Pete. Would you fight for everything you ever want?" MJ asked.

"I would," said Peter.

"Then don't act like the world is going to fall apart. You have to find a way to keep it and yourself whole," said MJ. "Just remember that you're not alone."

And there it is again. The same lesson she taught him when he blamed himself for what happened to Li and Octavius. But it's true. Despite Aunt May's death, MJ leaving for Symakaria, and losing three of the closest people in his life - Yuri Watanabe, Otto Octavius, and Martin Li - to the darkness, his life is not over. He still has both a protege to train and a city to protect. As for Felicia, well, best he can do is keep her out of trouble and maybe team up with her given the right situation.

"Hey, everything will be fine," said MJ.

MJ kisses Peter to assure him. She then lets him hold Richard. Richard sneezed again, but he smiled at his father. Peter knows this will happen one day. He just needs to believe he can make it to this.

"Peter! Peter! Peter!"

A bright light shines from above as the voice of Miles Morales called for Peter.

"Wha-What's going on?" MJ asked.

"I think I'm finally waking up," said Peter.

"What?" MJ asked, confused.

Peter gives Richard back to MJ and kisses her one more time.

"I love you," said Peter.

Peter gets up from the couch and super-jumps towards the light.

* * *

Spider-Man opens his eyes. He's still in the sanitarium, only he's not lying down in the office where the dead Maggia thug is. He's standing up and in the middle of the hallway. Kid Arachnid stood next to him, lightly slapping him across the face.

"I'm awake. You can stop," said Spider-Man. His head started to feel woozy. "Whoa... what happened?"

"I couldn't find Commissioner Watanabe outside, so I came back to see how you were doing," said Kid Arachnid. "I saw you just sleep-walking around this place and talking to yourself, which is nothing new for you. But wow, this was new."

"Mysterio's hallucination-inducing bombs," Spider-Man explained. "Yuri got her hands on one of them, did some tinkering. Man, would Quentin Beck be jealous. This was a lot worse than what I went through with him. Don't ask me what I saw before."

"Not asking," Kid Arachnid said with his hands up and backed away.

"Yuri," Spider-Man said with melancholy. "I can't believe she would do this."

"I know I shouldn't compare movies with real life, but... maybe you should skip the denial part and go straight to trying to stop her," said Kid Arachnid. "I'm just saying."

"We will stop her, Miles. But I'm not giving up on her," said Spider-Man. "You don't know her like I do."

"You've known her for nine years, I know," said Kid Arachnid.

"It goes beyond just how long we've known each other, Miles," said Spider-Man.

"You sure she isn't an ex-girlfriend of yours?" Kid Arachnid asked.

Spider-Man just turns around and walks away from his sidekick. Whoever started these rumors about him and Yuri, he's tempted to punch him in the face.

"Kidding. I'm kidding. Sheesh," said Kid Arachnid.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man gets back out into the city, in hopes of finding Yuri. Although, he knew that was unlikely. She never goes hunting for two criminals at the same time, because she knows it will give Spider-Man a better chance at catching her. So, all Spider-Man can do now is patrol the city. His phone beeped. He received a notification. He stops on top of a building to take a look at it.

It was another video filmed by MJ about the suffering citizens in Symkaria. More interviews. More footage of suffering children and parents. But Spider-Man can't help but notice something in the background.

There was writing on the wall. It said:

 _I MISS YOU_

And next to the writing is... MJ's Spider-Plushie. And then MJ turns the camera to herself as she went to pick up the plushie. She looks at the camera and waves with a smile on her face.

Spider-Man waved as well, even if she can't see him. But he understood the message.

It was a message for him. She wants him to know that she's fine and that she misses him as much as he misses her.

"I miss you, too," he said.

 ** _To gammaxmen80_: I hope you caught the Batman & Commissioner Gordon reference in this chapter. It was the best I can do before I forget that I wanted to include that joke. Hope it's enough. Let me know.**

 **So, that ends this chapter. Poor Peter. But no matter how much he's lost, he still has plenty to live for. The first phase of Insomniac's Spider-Man games (main game and DLCs) may be over, but my story will still keep on going. This has been one of my favorite stories to write and with all the love you guys have given it, there is no way I'm stopping now.**

 **Oh, and if you leave a review, please let me know what you think of this chapter.**


	23. Green Means Go!

**I know I haven't done much with Norman Osborn, mostly because that would mean addressing the cliffhanger in the main game's post-credits scene, but I thought I'd put a little focus on Osborn for this chapter.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the most recent reviews: josephguy217, Heinkelboy05, gammaxmen80, Guest, rex1297, K2-Black-Panther**

 ** _To K2-Black-Panther_: Well, I still gotta work out how I'm gonna get Silver Sable back in New York, you know, with the whole civil war thing going on in her country.**

Harry Osborn went to Europe to manage Oscorp's international operations. That's what Norman told everyone who knew Harry, especially Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson, both whom are Harry's best friends. The truth, however, is that Harry is sick, suffering from the same disease that killed his mother. He's in a containment unit in a secret lab at his father's penthouse, being kept alive until Norman can find a cure.

It hurt Norman to see his son in the tank, but he needed to be reminded of his priorities at Oscorp. He's no longer the mayor so he no longer has the power to gather the resources he needs to create a cure. Devil's Breath was used to poison the city and that took almost two decades of work. Without Dr. Morgan Michaels (who is now the head doctor at F.E.A.S.T.), finding a cure is gonna be a whole lot harder. Norman'll be lucky to even have a cure before he dies.

"I wish there was a way I can create more of GR-27 faster, but it's impossible," Norman muttered to himself. "Otto ruined everything. All I wanted was for you to live a longer life, son."

Norman reactivates the tank's steel shielding. That way, no one can see him, including himself. He leaves the lab so he can get to Oscorp. Unfortunately for him, he can't spend 24/7 finding a cure for Harry. He needs Oscorp to stay running to do that, and he needs to be a successful CEO in order to keep his company running. That means he has to continue fulfilling his military contracts.

Before he could leave, he found something on the little table on the balcony. A flash drive.

Norman plugs the drive into the lab's computer to see what's on it. He found a file that says "You're Done, Osborn."

"What foolishness is this?" Norman wondered.

Norman opens the file and finds documents that incriminate him to a business deal between Wilson Fisk and Hammerhead. Norman dreaded that day. Hammerhead was (emphasis on "was" since he's deceased) a ruthless, metal-domed brute. But that didn't stop him and Fisk from making a compromise that could bury them both if anyone found out.

"But how? Norman wondered.

There's also a letter within the file. It was a threat. It says:

 _$25,000,000 transferred to the account number on the drive. If you double-cross me in any way, I have a copy of the blackmail material that I'll send to the cops. You have until midnight, Osborn._

"You dare threaten me?" Norman is definitely enraged now. Then he stops to think. "But if there's a copy, I can't let this son of a bitch expose me. But I have a busy day ahead of me. I don't have time for this. Unless..."

Norman brings up the files of Harry's research stations.

* * *

It was a slow day for Spider-Man today. Not much crime actually. Just one break-in and one mugging so far today. Well, it makes him happy that the streets are safe today. Of course, that means he has to find something else to do. Luckily, he has Harry's research stations to keep himself occupied. Sure, witnesses tweet about him poking around in the stations, but that hasn't stopped him (or made Oscorp stop him).

"Okay, so let's see if I can get to work on that anti-plastic bacteria," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man accesses the computer, only to immediately see a video message. He plays it. It's from Norman Osborn.

 _"Spider-Man, I know you've been meddling with my son's research stations," said Norman. "Of course, I'm not sure subtlety is really your thing. Anyways, I sent this message because I require your assistance."_

"Norman Osborn asking Spider-Man for help. Well, it's more believable than Jameson finally praising me," Spider-Man commented.

 _"On the desk, you should find a flash drive..."_

Spider-Man sees the flash drive and picks it up.

 _"Someone is trying to blackmail me," Norman explained. "Whoever this person is has a copy of what I already erased from this one. I need you to find a way to locate this person and to bring me the blackmail material. But I'm warning you, Spider-Man. I'm trusting you with this. Do not even think about taking a look or telling the police. I may not be the mayor anymore, but that doesn't mean you're safe from me. Not a threat, just a warning. Do this for me and I won't ban you from my son's research stations. You have until midnight."_

"Norman actually trusts me to keep sneaking in here?" Spider-Man questioned. "I guess he really loves his big bucks."

Spider-Man plugs in the drive and tries to see what's in it. All that's left is the threat note.

"$25,000,000? That's a lot of money," Spider-Man commented. "Okay, let's see if I can find something in the code."

It took half an hour, but he finally found something.

"Wait, I recognize this. It's Black Cat's signature," said Spider-Man. "But why would Felicia want to blackmail Norman? Okay, so she loves money, but still... what are you up to, Felicia?"

Spider-Man takes the drive with him and contacts Miles.

"Miles, what are you doing today?" Spider-Man asked.

 _"Janice and I were gonna go to the arcade," said Miles. "Why?"_

"I'm gonna be busy with one very important mission today and I thought you could handle patrol," said Spider-Man.

 _"Don't worry. I've been working on my excuses. I'll sneak out, suit up, stop any crime close by, and be back before Janice knows," said Miles._

"Sometimes, I wish you could tell her the truth. I know it's never easy," said Spider-Man. "It never was for me."

 _"How did MJ react when she found out?" asked Miles._

"She wouldn't speak to me for three days, but after that, she warmed up to the fact," Spider-Man answered. "Before she became my partner, she was Nurse MJ."

* * *

Spider-Man started tracking down Black Cat. He tried the apartment where she stayed back when he was shrunken (via Pym's shrink disks), but she clearly moved out. And since she's smart enough not to go back to her penthouse, which has been rebuilt since Hammerhead blew it up, that leaves an entire island for Spider-Man to search.

"Where are you, Felicia?" Spider-Man wondered. "I guess it's time to listen to the police radios, listen for cat burglary."

While Spider-Man waits for a report that could be linked to Black Cat. Until then, he thought he'd entertain himself with a little music. He just chilled on a rooftop and waited. There was a mugging nearby, but all he did is shoot an Impact Web shot at the two muggers, gluing them to the wall. He did that just lying down on top of the roof.

Before you knew it, Spider-Man started dancing on the roof. People can see, but he was in his own little world (When isn't he ever?). People took pictures and videos. By the time Spider-Man noticed, he just did an upside down twister with great speed. After he was finished, he bowed to the people and proceeded with listening to the radio. Finally, he got something.

 _"10-23. Scratch marks found at an art gallery in the Financial District."_

"Black Cat," Spider-Man guessed.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man arrives at the art gallery. The scratch marks definitely come from Black Cat. All he has to do now is follow her trail. He runs and jumps from building to building until the trail ended three blocks away from the art gallery, but there was no sign of Black Cat. He stood on the roof and waited. Then his Spider Sense went off. Turning around, an EMP grenade was coming his way.

"Not this time," Spider-Man said.

He dodges the EMP grenade, webs it, and throws it in the air so its detonation won't affect anything. But he couldn't dodge Black Cat, who jumped out of nowhere and flipped him to the ground. He's on his back while she's right on top of him.

"Not exactly how I wanted to be in this position," Black Cat flirted.

"You knew I'd follow you, didn't you?" Spider-Man guessed.

"If Osborn had just given me what I wanted, we wouldn't be here," said Black Cat.

"Why blackmail Norman, Felicia?" Spider-Man asked. "You're better at just stealing art to get that much money."

"But then you would've stopped me, and I can't have that," said Black Cat.

"What's going on, Felicia?" asked Spider-Man. "Why do you need the money?"

"To get out of this city," Black Cat answered.

"But Hammerhead is dead," said Spider-Man.

"True, but his men are still out there," said Black Cat.

"What are you talking about?" asked Spider-Man.

Black Cat gets off Spider-Man and explains.

"Remember the flash drives I asked your girlfriends to steal?" Black Cat reminded.

"By asked, you mean manipulated," Spider-Man replied.

"Po-tay-to, po-tah-to," Black Cat responded. "Hammerhead had a plan to attack all the police precincts in Manhattan at once. This was supposed to happen once he stole all of Sable's weapons. But now that he's dead, his thugs want his legacy to live on somehow. They're going to blow up every precinct on this island. But they're also going to target me."

"And the money?" Spider-Man asked.

"Don't really need it," said Black Cat. "I stole a good amount of money from Hammerhead. Just enough for me to survive on my own. The money from Osborn, it's a consolation prize."

"For what?" asked Spider-Man.

"If you fail to stop him from replicating Project Olympus," Black Cat answered.

"Wait, what?" Spider-Man asked.

"Norman may have returned everything Sable-related to our silver friend, but that doesn't mean he's not gonna try to create his own version of what made Hammerhead almost too powerful," said Black Cat. "I don't know about you, but I don't want to see that project out in the world any more than you do."

"So, you actually care if innocent people get hurt by Norman's Project Olympus knock-off?" asked Spider-Man.

"I don't want Hammerhead's legacy to be preserved," said Black Cat. "This is basically me spitting on his grave."

"You could've come to me instead of blackmailing Norman," said Spider-Man. "I thought we talked about this."

"Spider, you got a lot of things to learn about the life of a criminal," Black Cat said as she poked his nose with her claw. "You don't do this stuff without reward."

"Okay, let me get this straight. You blackmail Norman, knowing he'll come to me because of the work I've done on his research stations, expect me to find you, and then you tell me that Hammerhead's goons want to leave a mark of their boss on the city," Spider-Man recapped. "I don't know who's harder to figure out. You or Sable."

"Look at it this way, Spider. You stop Hammerhead's morons and I won't even bother with Osborn's money," said Black Cat. "You'll find the Hammerhead fan club all gathered in a warehouse in the Upper West Side. Find my gear and find my cat. It'll tell you which one."

"You're not gonna help me?" asked Spider-Man.

"I have to prepare in case you fail," said Black Cat. "Just be sure..."

Spider-Sense tingling!

"Move!" Spider-Man shouted.

Spider-Man grabs Black Cat and jumps off the roof just as something exploded where they stood. Spider-Man uses a web line to swing back up to the roof. Black Cat kept her arms around Spider-Man, just for the sake of it, much to his dismay.

"That was fun. We should try that again," said Black Cat.

"Where did that come from?" Spider-Man wondered.

Spider-Man looks up to see something glitching in the air. Wait! Glitching? It looked like something is trying to stay cloaked in mid-air. It looks like a man on a floating pad.

"Wait a sec. That's Oscorp's cloaking tech," Spider-Man recognized.

Spider-Man fires an Impact Web shot and knocks the person off his pad. Both the person and the pad turned visible. The man fell on the rooftop of the next building, just across the one Spider-Man and Black Cat stood on. The two of them jumped to the next building to interrogate their attacker. Black Cat snatched the floating pad, which looked like a small glider. As for the attacker, he wore body armor and a helmet. Spider-Man removes the helmet to see some guy with a five o'clock shadow.

"Sweet tech," Black Cat said, impressed by the glider.

"Okay, Tin Torso, who are you?" Spider-Man asked the attacker. "And just so you know, I won't hurt you, but my friend here has claws."

Black Cat shows him the claws. The attacker gave in.

"Wilson Fisk. His men paid me to follow you," the attacker confessed. "They didn't tell me why. They just promised me a lot of money, provided me with stolen Oscorp tech, and told me to take out whoever you're looking for."

Black Cat looks at the spider-themed hero and says, "Osborn sends you a message and an assassin comes to take me out. Coincidence?"

"Let's drop this poor guy off to the police and then we'll talk," said Spider-Man.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Norman is in his office at Oscorp having yet another angry phone call with Wilson Fisk. True, they're not best buddies, but it seems that all of their phone calls since the whole Devil's Breath stuff has been angry conversations. Well, they're both greedy, corrupt, and have quite the tempers.

 _"Black Cat, huh?" Fisk asked._

"That's what the hitman reported before he was captured," said Norman.

"Pathetic," Fisk commented.

"Hey, you were the one who told me he was worth whatever I pay," said Norman.

 _"I meant you," said Fisk. "Delegating jobs time and time again. At least I have the guts to get my hands dirty. You want the cat, you have to go through the insect. To get through the insect, you have to make sure the job is done."_

Fisk hanged up, just in time for Norman's secretary to come in through the door.

"Sir, you have an urgent phone call," said the secretary.

"From who?" asked Norman.

"He'd only speak to you," said the secretary.

Norman takes the call. He asked the secretary to leave him just in case this phone call is threatening his secret.

"Who is this?" Norman asked.

 _"Your Friendly Neighborhood Branded Fugitive," the caller said._

"Spider-Man, I presume?" Norman guessed.

 _"You hired a Fisk assassin to take out the blackmailer. That's low, even for you, Norman," said Spider-Man._

"I have no idea what you're..."

 _"You knew that the only way your blackmailer can be silenced forever is if you kill him or her. You knew I couldn't do it, so you had Fisk hire someone who could," Spider-Man accused._

"You have no idea what this blackmail will do to me, to my family," said Norman. "I have a son, Spider-Man. If I go down, his life is over. And he has a lot of people who would love to see him when he gets back. What would you do if it was your family?"

Norman hangs up.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man sighs with irritation as Norman hanged up on him. This does confirm the attacker's claim that Norman Osborn hired him. Spider-Man still can't believe that Norman would go through such great lengths to protect his secrets. Speaking of secrets, he had Black Cat tell him Norman's secret before he made the phone call.

"So, how'd it go?" Black Cat asked.

"He tried to deny it, but then he brought up his family," said Spider-Man. "I guess when I mentioned Fisk, he couldn't talk his way out of it."

"And about the blackmail?" asked Black Cat.

"Dealing with Hammerhead... I can't believe Norman and Fisk would go that far just to protect themselves," said Spider-Man. "I mean, I get Hammerhead blackmailed them, but still..."

"The weapons they dealt to Hammerhead killed a dozen cops and two innocent people in a shootout the next day," Black Cat added. "If the public finds out, Oscorp is toast."

"No, you can't do that," said Spider-Man.

"What do you want me to do, Spider?" asked Black Cat. "I've had enough of Hammerhead and his flunkies. If you can't stop them, I'm skipping town. Hell, I'll do it either way."

"Not if we work together," said Spider-Man.

"I can handle myself, but even I know when too much is too much," said Black Cat. "That's why I'm asking you."

"Why are you running, Felicia? I know Hammerhead scares you, but his goons? That's not like you," said Spider-Man.

"It's not his goons that scare me," said Black Cat. "It's that new vigilante."

"Yur... You've seen her?" Spider-Man asked.

"I've seen her handiwork. She goes after everyone connected to Hammerhead. With any luck, she's at that warehouse right now," said Black Cat.

Spider-Man hears something in the police scanner that captures his attention.

 _"10-23. A warehouse full of dead Maggia thugs. Purple streamers and incriminating case files at the scene."_

"I think she just beat us to it," said Spider-Man.

* * *

Spider-Man arrives at the warehouse where the last of Hammerhead's thugs are. It's a crime scene, one the police was kind enough to let him witness. It was horrifying, to say the least. It's a massacre. The carnage reminded him of The Bar With No Name. All two dozen thugs are dead. The new vigilante clearly planned this carefully.

"Yuri, what's become of you?" Spider-Man asked, horrified.

 _"What do you see, handsome?" Black Cat asked._

"They're all dead," said Spider-Man.

 _"Now you see why I wanted to stay out of this. Everyone is afraid of that new vigilante," said Black Cat. "Why aren't you? Unless... you know who she is."_

"A topic for another time, Felicia," said Spider-Man.

 _"Another woman in your life, huh?" Black Cat teased. "Should I jea... WHOOOOOOAAA!"_

"Felicia? Felicia?!" Spider-Man cried upon hearing his feline friend's screams.

Spider-Man heads outside and swings to where he last saw Black Cat. She wasn't there anymore. No signs of a struggle. Just gone. _She better not be playing with me again_ , he thought.

 _"Spider! Central Park!" Black Cat shouted. "Aim for the skies!"_

Spider-Man quickly swings over to Central Park. As Black Cat told him, he aimed for the skies. He fires web shot after web shot, but he hits nothing but air and a couple of pigeons. "Good thing they're not Howard's," he said to himself. He keeps on firing until he finally got lucky. His web shot hit something. That something was cloaked, but not anymore. It was a person wearing a helmet similar to the assassin and a metallic suit colored dark green. And this person has Black Cat in his grip.

"Felicia, duck!" Spider-Man shouted.

Black Cat moves her head out of the way as Spider-Man fires an Impact Web shot. The armored man gets hit in the face and is knocked away, but he dropped Black Cat. Fortunately, Spider-Man caught her. He safely lands on the ground to let her off.

"Not one for being a damsel in distress, but to be saved by you, it's worth it," said Black Cat.

Spider-Man looks up and sees their flying attacker coming back towards them. He throws some kind of spherical hand-sized device. Spider-Man jumps out of the way as the device explodes upon impact with the ground, startling civilians nearby.

"Gotta get him away from civilians," Spider-Man said.

Spider-Man swings out of Central Park so the attacker will chase him. Black Cat chases after him just to make sure he doesn't get himself killed.

"Got your back, handsome," said Black Cat.

"Well, it's nice to have backup," said Spider-Man.

The attacker suddenly turns around and sets its sights on Black Cat. He throws a bomb at her. It missed, but the explosion sent her crashing on a rooftop. The attacker descends upon her, only to get webbed in the back by Spider-Man. Spider-Man zips himself towards the attacker and kicks him off his glider. The attacker lands on the same roof as Black Cat.

"Okay, Green Goonie. Let's wrap this up," said Spider-Man.

"Not yet," the attacker said with a modulated voice.

The attacker calls for its glider via his helmet and rams Spider-Man with it, taking him for a joyride. The attacker throws another bomb at Black Cat, but she dodges it. He throws two bombs in two different directions. The blast knocked Black Cat down.

"Mr. Osborn sends his regards," said the attacker.

"Hey, Greenie!"

That was Spider-Man, who swings back and whacks the attacker with his own glider. Black Cat attacks him, scratching his armor with her claws. After four scratch attacks, Black Cat knocks down the attacker with a spin kick. Spider-Man, however, stopped her from hurting him further.

"Look, let's all take a deep breathe," said Spider-Man.

"It'll be your last," said the attacker.

"Just wait," Spider-Man pleaded. "You work for Norman Osborn, right? What if Black Cat just gives back what belongs to him? Will you leave us alone then?"

"No way I'm giving up that info, Spider," said Black Cat.

"Hammerhead's thugs are dead. You said you'd drop this if they were dealt with," said Spider-Man.

"That was before he started sending assassins after me," said Black Cat.

"Felicia, please," Spider-Man

"What about the city? Don't they deserve to know the monster that Norman truly is, partnering with someone like Fisk and making a deal with Hammerhead?" asked Black Cat.

"Not today, Felicia. Not today," said Spider-Man. "You don't know what's going on like I do. Please, just give this up. I'll... I'll owe you one."

Black Cat sighs and says, "We'll both regret this one day."

Black Cat takes out a flash drive and tosses it to the attacker.

"Everything I have on Norman Osborn, it's in there," said Black Cat.

"No tricks?" asked the attacker.

"No tricks," Black Cat promised. "Just go."

The attacker reactivates the cloaking device on his glider and flies away. While Spider-Man was busy looking up, Black Cat was busy vanishing.

"'Til next time, Felicia," said Spider-Man.

* * *

The masked attacker landed on Norman's penthouse balcony, still cloaked. He waited until he was inside to turn it off, just to make sure no one saw him enter this place. He entered the secret lab and took off the helmet. The attacker is...

Norman Osborn.

He's out of breath and he pulled a couple of muscles. Despite the armor, his old age doesn't help much. Yet, he decided to do this anyway.

"Get your hands dirty, huh, Fisk?" Norman commented bitterly.

Norman plugs in the drive and sees that the info on his deal with Fisk and Hammerhead is on it. No tricks, as Black Cat promised. As he sighs with relief, he gets a phone call from his secretary.

"What is it?" asked Norman.

 _"Sir, someone broke into Oscorp and stole $25,000,000 from your personal account," the secretary reported._

In his anger, Norman crushes his phone in his hand (well, he's still wearing the armor). It was Black Cat, that was for certain. She may have been honest about the drive, but she stabbed him in the back.

"Fisk is right about one thing. To get things done, you have to do it yourself," Norman decided.

Norman decides to start a new project. He calls it, "GS-01." Since he broke his phone in his anger, he sends a message to Oscorp's robotics expert, Dr. Stromm. The message says:

 _Tell the tech devs that Project: Olympus needs some improvements._

* * *

Meanwhile, Spider-Man goes back on patrol. With no crime to stop, he sits by the docks as he listens to Jameson's latest episode. If he made a bet with someone that it's about the fight between him, Black Cat, and the masked man on a glider, then he'd be rich.

 _"I have always warned people that Spider-Man's influence will result in countless maniacs trying to surpass him by augmenting themselves," said Jameson. "Rhino. Electro. Doctor Octopus. Well, it seems we have a new maniac in town. Some masked hooligan in green armor flying around the city in some kind of jet-powered machine. No, I'm not talking about the one that's in police custody. He's just some hired hand who works for Wilson Fisk. No, I'm talking about the one who took Spider-Man and the Black Cat on a joyride through our lovely streets. And it seems that Spider-Man let him get away. Hmm, doesn't that seem strange to you? I have suspected that webbed menace was in cahoots with these lunatics. Now, sure, maybe they had a petty squabble in Central Park, but in the end, this new player just flew away and Spider-Man didn't even chase after him. Where's your so-called hero now, New York?" A brief pauses. "So, Jared, any suggested names for this new masked lunatic? What is this? The Green Flier? That's terrible! GET BACK ON THE CONSOLE, JARED!"_

"How about the Green Ghoul?" Spider-Man joked.

Suddenly, a jet shows up out of nowhere right in front of him, startling him and causing him to fall into the water. After getting out of the water, Spider-Man takes a look at the jet again. It looks like a Sable International jet. And guess who's riding it.

"Sable?" Spider-Man was surprised.

"Get in, quick!" Silver said.

"What's going on?" asked Spider-Man.

"Ms. Watson is in danger, and she needs you, Spider-Man," said Silver.

"I'm going to Symkaria?" Spider-Man asked, feeling sorta excited.

 **I need a conclusion to Black Cat's story back in Chapter 12, and this is the best I can do. It's not my best work, but I try. For the next chapter, Spider-Man is going to Symkaria.**


	24. Waving the Silver Flag

**Spider-Man goes to Symkaria. Well, since we won't be getting a sequel for a long, long time, I might as well wrap up this civil war storyline myself in my own way.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: gammaxmen80, Heinkelboy05, josephguy217, K2-Black-Panther, Knox, CG, roxasduelwielder, Bismarck Alexander, rex1297, IanAlphaAxel, Spideysquad**

 ** _To FireywerAkaAadidoes_: Not really a fan of the whole "Peter dies, Miles takes over" story. I like it better when they co-exist in the same universe in a Batman & Robin type of partnership (or Flash & Kid Flash).**

 ** _To Knox_: I can't make any promises, but if I had to pick... 1) from the Heroes, but none from the villains.**

 ** _ANOTHER reply to Knox_: Yes, I did see the update.**

 ** _To roxasduelwielder:_ Tempting, but that would be problematic for Peter and MJ's relationship. Although, I do like the idea of Silver being a mother. It might just give me more material to work with her as I continue this story (The Symkaria civil war will not be the end of her story, 'cause I just love writing about her too much). Finding a way to make that happen, however, it's not gonna be easy. But I'm definitely keeping this suggestion in mind 'cause I like it.**

 ** _To IanAlphaAxel_: We'll definitely see Yuri again.**

 ** _To Spideysquad_: I think I'll wait until Far From Home to see. Believe me, the anxiety is killing me too. Been too busy IRL and finding time to write has been frustrating.**

In the royal palace of Symkaria, Silver Sable is being escorted in chains to the throne room by two U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. agents. They were blue and white body armor and are armed with energy rifles that rival that of Sable International's. Silver remained silent as she walked into the room where her parents' thrones have been replaced by one chair. A chair where the U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.'s boss sits. Prime Minister Klaus Limka. He stood up as he laid eyes upon the silver-haired princess.

Silver is forced on her knees as the man who raised her after her parents' assassination looked down on her like a commoner. She looked at him with so much hate in her eyes.

"I was waiting for this moment," said Limka.

"So have I," Silver growled.

"Do not look at me like that, Ms. Sable. In fact, you should be thanking me," said Limka.

"For what? For orphaning me? For fooling me into believing you cared for me like your own daughter?" Silver snapped.

"That you would no longer have to live with the burden of lifting this country on your back," said Limka.

"You put that burden on me when you sent the kill order on my parents," Silver said angrily.

"And you will be relieved of all burden shortly," said Limka.

"I did not want to believe it, but you are not the man who raised me as I was his own," Silver said, betrayed. "I doubt he was ever there at all."

"Believe me, nothing would make me happier than to kill you along with your parents," said Limka. "But you survived and I had to delay my plans. So, I had to wait. For 27 damn years."

"27 years of my life. All of it. Wasted," Silver said. "My upbringing. My title. Sable International. You have tainted my existence with your corruption. Worse, you are infecting this country."

"They would not submit, so I had to resort to force," said Limka.

"And my stay in New York gave you the time to execute your war," Silver growled.

While Silver and Limka exchanged word, someone was sneaking up on them in the shadows. Crouching just next to an unconscious U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. soldier is Mary Jane Watson. When Silver Sable was captured, she sneaked around the battlefield to get into the castle. She came here to do two things. One, get footage of Klaus Limka. Two, save Silver Sable... somehow. She couldn't bring her stun gun because that would make her look bad at the airport, but she did find an alternative. A Sable shock baton.

"Okay, Mary Jane Watson, begin research notes. Symkaria Civil War, Day 27," MJ narrated silently. "I'm in the royal castle of Symkaria. Honestly, it's quite beautiful. So much silver. Either Silver refurbished it after her parents' death or her parents remodeled after giving her the name of Silver. But on to important matters... Silver Sable has been captured by Prime Minister Klaus Limka, the mastermind behind the invasion of the U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. army. I should be tending to the civilians hiding underground, but... no one is gonna save the rightful ruler but me."

Just as MJ was about to make a move with the gun in her hand, another U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. agent spots her.

"Freeze!" The agent shouted.

The agent's loud voice attracted the attention of Silver and Limka. MJ picks up the gun of the unconscious agent and fires, but misses badly. The agent blasted the weapon out of her hand. MJ puts her hands up as the agent takes her to Limka. Just like with Silver, MJ was forced to her knees.

"Ah, the American reporter who has been causing a lot of trouble," Limka said. "I must say, when I heard that you neutralized seventeen of my men patrolling this one building, I laughed. But then I was shown the unconscious bodies and I was shocked. Impressed, even."

"Yeah, well, all it takes is wits and maybe even a non-lethal weapon," said MJ.

"Take her to the execution chamber. And take her camera," Limka ordered. "I want the world to see that there is no hope of ending my reign, that this worthless reporter's efforts are all for nothing."

Silver quickly back-kicks Agent #1 in the knee, rolls a little, and kicks Agent #2 with both feet. She curls herself into a little ball so she can move her cuffed hands under her legs and back to her front. She kicks Agent #2 in the helmet and takes his gun, cuffed wrists and all. She aims it at the agent holding MJ hostage.

"Release her," Silver demanded.

"How about you release that weapon or she dies," Limka threatened.

"You miserable excuse for a..." Silver stopped herself, but aimed the gun at the prime minister. "This is not how it was meant to go."

"You wanted to be captured," MJ realized.

"And end it here," Silver added.

"I'm sorry I screwed up your plans," MJ apologized.

"You should be," Silver said.

"Surrender now, Silver, or this reporter will have to perish now," Limka threatened.

Silver grits her teeth as her trigger finger shakes. "You despicable..."

"Sable," MJ interrupted. "You should go. Your people need you."

"I cannot leave you alone, not when someone back in Manhattan is waiting for you," said Silver.

"Sable, please, go," MJ pleaded. "If there's ever a time to prioritize a mission over the innocent, now is the time."

In the end, Silver lowers the gun. She keeps it, though, as she runs out of the castle. Limka puts the castle on high alert, sending all the agents inside after Silver. Fortunately, she escapes by jumping off a balcony and disappears using a smokescreen as cover. MJ, on the other hand, is being prepared for a live execution.

* * *

 ** _Two days later..._**

MJ's message to the rest of the world seems to be working. The United States have finally agreed to lend a hand. As of right now, the U.S. Army and the Air Force are aiding the rebels in fighting Limka's forces. In the middle of the city nearest to the royal castle, a battle was going down between Sable International and U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. Sable International would be losing this fight if the U.S. Army wasn't assisting Silver Sable's army. And guess who else is joining the party...

"War Machine coming at you!"

War Machine descends from above and fires repulsor blasts at the last remaining U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. soldiers on the battlefield, incapacitating them. One engaged him up-close, only to get an iron fist to the stomach and face. War Machine used mini-missiles to blow up a nearby U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. crate full of weapons.

"Thanks for the assistance, Colonel," a soldier said.

"I was already finished in the south anyway. Thought I'd come here and help," said War Machine.

Suddenly, War Machine gets hit by a fast-moving projectile, knocking him back several feet away. That projectile was a tank round from an U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. tank. It's bigger than a regular army tank and it fires two types of ammo. Tank rounds and powerful energy blasts. With war machine down, the soldiers are defenseless against the tank.

"Shoot it!" A soldier shouted.

"No good," said a Sable agent. "Not even our APC turrets can penetrate its armor."

"Then we make our stand here," said a soldier.

Before anyone could make a move, something from above was coming down fast. It was a Sable International jet. The soldiers and Sable agents duck for cover as the jet heads straight for the tank at a very high speed. The jet crashes into the tank, destroy it and itself in a huge explosion. Fortunately, none of the soldiers and Sable agents are hurt (the tank was actually pretty far from where they stood, meaning it blasted War Machine from a great distance).

As the soldiers and agents gazed at the fiery wreckage, they saw something else come down from above. A silver-haired individual descending on a Sable jetpack, landing with style.

War Machine, banged up but standing, walks up to the princess and greets her.

"Your highness," he said respectfully. "Quite an entrance."

"Colonel Rhodes," Silver greeted. "Are you well?"

"Thank Tony Stark for the reinforced titanium alloy," said War Machine.

"This city is supposed to be abandoned," said Silver. "Any reason why there was a battle here?"

"Prisoners in the prime minister's manor," War Machine explained. "And you showed up just in time to help us rescue them."

While the Princess of Symkaria and the Air Force Colonel are talking, one U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. soldier wakes up from unconsciousness and crawls over to his energy rifle. He aims it at Silver. Fortunately, a Sable agent saw him.

"Look out!" The Sable agent shouted.

Suddenly, the U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. soldier was hit in the face with a spider's web. Spider-Man swings out of nowhere, announcing his presence with a "WOOHOO!" He web-throws the soldier towards a wall and fires an Impact Web shot to glue him to said wall.

"Cool armor, but not web-proof, huh? I guess you weren't expecting me. I mean, why would you?" Spider-Man said. "Except for being Silver Sable's kissing dummy."

A mild chuckle could be heard. A woman's chuckle. And the only woman in the area is Silver Sable. Why Spider-Man's witticisms amuse her, even she doesn't know. She's learned to just accept it.

"It warm-eth my heart thou are amused-eth by my jokes," Spider-Man said with a English accent.

Silver covers her mouth with her hand, but her eyes can tell what she is feeling. War Machine's beginning to feel awkward being in the same place as these two.

"Colonel James Rhodes," Spider-Man greeted as he saluted.

War Machine lifts the suit's face mask to show his face and greets the wall crawler.

"Spider-Man," the colonel said.

"So, the Avengers finally decided to join the party?" Spider-Man asked.

"Not yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if they join in soon," said Rhodey. "Five other countries are sending troops here to Symkaria to aid Silver Sable. So, there's that, at least."

"Ms. Watson's videos are very persuasive," said Spider-Man.

"Speaking of Ms. Watson, we must proceed in rescuing her," said Silver. "But first, the prisoners in the manor."

"These U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. guys," Spider-Man mentioned. "Care to tell me what's the deal with them, Your Highness. You mentioned them only by name in your story."

"The Underground Liberated Totally Integrated Mobile Army To Unite Mankind," Silver started. "A terrorist organization that have remained secret until Limka hired them. As you may have noticed, they have tech and weapons that rival Sable International. That's why we're losing this war. Their leader is Karl Morgenthau, but he calls himself the Flag Smasher."

"Yikes," Spider-Man reacted, not impressed by the nickname.

"Your Highness, if I may ask, why Spider-Man?" asked Rhodey.

"Are you assuming my personal feelings for Spider-Man will jeopardize my country's freedom?" Silver accused.

"Wha... no, no. That's not what I was saying at all," Rhodey lied.

"Spare me your pretenses, Colonel. We have a war to fight," said Silver.

"She's the princess, Mr. Rhodes... practically the Queen. You should do what she says or she'll shoot you," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man takes the moment to look around. Wrecked buildings, flames, and empty streets. Yup, this is Symkaria in its "finest" days. All jokes aside, it's horrible. Symkaria is not exactly the richest city in the world (outside of the Sable royal family), but what Spider-Man is seeing around him is a harsh reminder of the Devil's Breath crisis. So much destruction in New York caused by the Sinister six and the escaped inmates from Ryker's and the Raft.

"So, this is Symkaria, huh? Doesn't look anything like the brochure," said Spider-Man. Realizing his mistake, he says, "Oops, sorry. Bad joke at an inappropriate time."

"This is not how I wanted you to see my country," Silver said sadly. "Everyone wonders why Sable International needs so much money if I'm the princess. While some of the money my force earn is used for our equipment, I distribute a large portion of it to my people."

"That's... wow. That's very generous of you," Spider-Man said, wowed.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Thirteen U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. agent guarded about thirty-six hostages in the manor. Men, women, and children. They were so scared, but the soldiers didn't care. Those who resist against Limka's rule will suffer the consequences. After seeing the massive explosion that just occurred in the nearest city outside the window, the soldiers are preparing to take the hostages somewhere else.

Leading this group is a high-ranking U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. agent named Carl, armed with a handheld cannon that fires energy blasts and explosive rounds.

"Nobody move!" Carl ordered.

"Please, don't hurt anyone," a man begged.

An agent smacks that man in the face with his cattle prod, which only scares everyone else more.

"Nobody move or say a word," Carl threatened. "Not unless I say so. Now, we're gonna go to the next city. If someone steps out of line, then you're gonna be used as a message to the rest."

"A man who hides behind his weapon is nothing more than a coward," said an old man.

"Well, look at that. Someone just volunteered to be that message," Carl said evilly.

An agent drags the old man to a spot away from the crowd. That way, the blast from Carl's cannon will only destroy him. But just as Carl was about to fire, an energy blast shatters a window. Flying in on her jetpack is Silver Sable, who quickly blasts the cannon off Carl's hands. She flies towards Carl at high speed and kicks him towards a column.

Three Trip Mines fly in through the shattered window and hits three U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. soldiers. Each of these three end up being webbed to another agent and glued together. That just leaves seven agents (including the still-lying-on-the-floor Carl).

"Shoot the hostages!" Carl ordered.

Silver throws a little device down to the floor. It activates and jams U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.'s weapons, including the cannon.

"How?" Carl asked.

"You're not the only one with toys," said Silver.

Spider-Man comes zipping in and swing-kicks Agent #7 at Carl. He webs up Soldier #8 and web-throws him at Agent #9. He fires a Web Bomb at them and glues them both to the floor. Agent #10 tries to attack with his shock prod, but Spider-Man dodges the swing with a spin dodge, webbing the soldier's legs during the spin. He kicks Agent #10 in the back twice and webs him to the floor.

Silver Sable blocks Agent #11's shock prod attacks with her energy shield. Timing the soldier's swinging correctly, Silver kicks the soldier in the head with a spinning crescent kick. She grabs his shock prod and electrocutes him to unconsciousness. Agent #7 gets up and charges at her, but she spins to the side and trips him with a low spinning kick. The soldier gets back up, only to get a flying kick to the torso. Silver punches him with her shield twice before knocking him down with a

Agent #12 grabs a hostage, a young boy, and holds his shock prod close to his face.

"Make another move and he gets it," Agent #12 threatened.

"Threatening a child... you are unbelievable, buddy," Spider-Man said, appalled.

"Shut up, insect!" Agent #12 responded.

"Hey, spiders are not insects, okay? They're arachnids," said Spider-Man. "Man, if I had a quarter for every time someone calls me an insect, I could afford two castles."

"I said, shut up!" Agent #12 repeated.

"Jeez, anger issues much?" Spider-Man said. "You're acting like I just insulted your face."

"Shut up, bug!" Agent #12 yelled.

"Oh, wait. I can't see your face in that helmet. Why the helmet, though?" Spider-Man asked.

"Protection, duh," said Agent #12.

"No, that's not it," Spider-Man said jokingly. "Maybe you're afraid to show your pretty face. Unless, it's not pretty. I'm picturing a five o'clock shadow and some wrinkles. Who knows? Maybe you get it for your mom."

Angered to the max, Agent #12 charges at the wall crawler, releasing the hostage. Spider-Man quickly fires a web shot at the agent's face. While the agent was busy being blinded, Spider-Man and Silver Sable team up for another combo. They join hands and Spider-Man throws the princess at the agent. Silver kicks the agent in the face with a spinning aerial kick. He wasn't unconscious yet, but one strong hit to the helmet with Silver's shield was enough. She may have cracked the helmet, though.

"That was excessive," said Spider-Man.

"No, that was brilliant," said Silver. "Disarming him with a bad joke. Clever."

"Well, it's only bad because I wasn't really trying," said Spider-Man.

"Get the hostages to Colonel Rhodes," Silver ordered. "I need to have words with the U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.'s lieutenant."

"Just don't break his face, okay?" Spider-Man said. "Okay, everyone! Follow me! And, kids, don't let the mask fool you. I'm just your everyday normal person. I just, uh, can't tell you who I am."

Silver faces her people and says, "Sokrayat spakastyieve. Tere ve bozona nepsti. Spider-Man privote asva bezapensi. I doveryerhe yama."

Spider-Man leads the hostages out of the manor, leaving Silver with Carl, who remains on the ground. Silver grabs him and holds him against the column that he crashed into earlier. She removes his helmet and points a gun at his face. Carl tried to appear stoic, but there was some fear in his eyes. _Good_ , Silver thought. They won't talk if they're not afraid.

"Where is Mary Jane Watson?" Silver demanded.

"The reporter? That's what you're asking me about?" Carl questioned.

Silver turns her gun towards the window and shoots it, shattering it. Carl flinched a bit as the gun was pressed against his face again.

"Next shot goes through your skull," Silver threatened.

"I am expendable," said Carl. "The Flag Smasher only cares about results."

"Why would U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. assist Limka?" Silver asked.

"He promised us compensation," Carl answered simply.

"You're holding back," Silver growled. "What doesn't Limka know?"

"He... he... The Flag Smasher... he..." Carl hesitated.

Silver shoots Carl in the foot, causing him to scream in pain. Silver aims her gun at his forehead and makes sure he can see the look in her eye.

"What does Morgenthau want?!" Silver asked.

"Sable!"

Spider-Man came swinging back in. He webs up Carl and zips him outside. He then grabs Silver mid-swing and rushes outside. Just as Silver was about to shout at him, an explosion occurred, destroying part of the manor.

It came from an U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. cannon the size of a car, stationed not too far from the manor. Overseeing the shot that hit the manor is the Flag Smasher himself, dressed in a white and black armored suit with a mask. He held a mace in his hand, but it was no ordinary mace. When the firing of the cannon destroyed the manor (part of it, at least), Flag Smasher entered his APC and left. If he stuck around longer, Silver Sable and her red-suited companion will find him.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, in a partially destroyed building, Spider-Man and War Machine are waiting outside an office. Through the door is where Silver Sable is interrogating Carl. Spider-Man had to stay back because, well, princess's orders. Hearing Carl scream in pain doesn't help, but his fear of Silver was greater than his determination.

"So, you got the kiss the princess of Symkaria, huh?" War Machine mentioned casually.

"And it's got 444 million views online as of today," Spider-Man added. "People love celebrity couples."

"Have you taken her on a date yet?" War Machine asked.

"Colonel, I have a girlfriend," said Spider-Man.

"And how does Sable feel about that?" asked War Machine.

"Surprisingly okay," said Spider-Man. "I don't think I'll ever understand her."

"Well, after being in the middle of Tony and Pepper's love story for more than a decade, all I can is just do whatever the lady tells you to. It'll keep you alive," said War Machine.

"Unless it's kissing another woman," said Spider-Man.

"Yeah, that," said War Machine. "So, you ever think about joining the Air Force? We could use someone like you."

"Nah, not really my thing. Besides, that would mean I'd have to unmask," said Spider-Man. "Sorry, but I'm just not ready to be that kind of hero. I don't think I ever will be."

"Unless the world gives you no choice, it's best to hold on to that mask," said War Machine.

"Don't worry, Colonel. Tony trusts you, so I can trust you with my identity one day," said Spider-Man. "I'm just trying to be careful. You have no idea how much I've been through."

"Smart," said War Machine. "So, where's that sidekick of yours? Sick in bed or something?"

"Oh, I told him to stay in New York," said Spider-Man. "He's young. He's not ready for this. One-on-one supervillain fights, he can handle it. A civil war, it's too much..."

The two stopped talking when Silver came out of the office. They looked inside. They saw that Carl is tied up on a chair and unconscious with a couple of burning wounds. One of the right shoulder and one of the left thing. _Ouch_ , was what was on both their minds.

"Ms. Watson is held at the cathedral in Slivashide. It's three hours away if we drive with no stops," said Silver.

"Then let's hurry," said Spider-Man.

"I wish I could help you, but command is asking me back to the shores in the west immediately. It's urgent," said War Machine.

"Spider-Man came here to save one life. You came here to save all. Be on your way, Colonel," said Silver.

War Machine bows before taking off with the unconscious Carl.

"Uh, Sable," Spider-Man spoke. "About what you did to Carl..."

"This war brings out the worst in me, Spider-Man, and you know that," Silver interrupted. "Let's go. Don't you want to save your one true love?"

"Am I detecting jealousy?" Spider-Man teased.

Silver and Spider-Man take a Sable International APC to Slivashide. Silver drives while Spider-Man sits on the passenger seat. Knowing this car ride is gonna be boring, Spider-Man listens to music programmed in his cowl and sits back to relax. Sure, a civil war in a small country in Europe is the wrong place to be relaxing, but this is a three-hour car ride after all. Also, the APC doesn't come with a radio. Also-also, Silver won't let him drive.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

But it wasn't gonna a smooth drive for Spider-Man for long. The APC passes through a half-destroyed city. Spider-Man looks out the window and he sees so many horrible things. Dead bodies - rebels, Sable agents, and U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. agents - being covered up. Poor families being rescued from rundown buildings. Scrapes. Bruises. Hunger. Broken families. The smoke in the air means extinguished fire and there was a lot of smoke in the area. Spider-Man knew that the Symkaria civil war was not pretty, but to see it up close showed him just how much.

"If MJ wasn't in danger, I'd ask for us to stop and help them," said Spider-Man. "I mean, I'd ask you to do it regardless, but..."

"My agents can handle this. Ms. Watson is the priority," said Silver.

"You are so determined to save her," Spider-Man noticed. "Wait, is this because of me? Is this repayment for me helping you change your ways?"

"You could say that," said Silver.

"You have another reason for bringing me here, don't you?" Spider-Man guessed.

"I have suspected that Morgenthau has been secretly planning to betray Limka. Carl would not relinquish that information no matter what pain I inflicted on him, but he did give me something close to a confirmation," said Silver. "But with Ms. Watson's life on the line, I needed another pair of extremely capable hands. No offense to my agents, but your hands are what I need. Also, I thought you would want to see her alive yourself."

"That's... wow. That's really... very considerate," said Spider-Man. "But she's gonna kill me when she finds out. I trusted her to handle herself."

"Right now, she could use rescuing," said Silver.

* * *

If there was anything else that would force Spider-Man out of the car, it's seeing a trio of U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. agents about to execute a father and his child. He tells Silver to wait for him as he jumps out of the APC. He'll take care of the U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. agents quickly and jump back into the car.

Spider-Man webs up Agent #1, jumps over his head, and tosses him up and down to the ground, resulting in a hard fall on the back. Spider-Man elbow-strikes Agent #2 in the air and then jumps up as he webs-zips himself down, all the while using his legs to slam Agent #2 to the ground. Agent #3 managed to hit Spider-Man with a stun blast, but the wall crawler persists. He uppercuts Agent #3 in the air and uses Impact Web to web him up. He web-snatches Agent #3 out of the air and tosses him to the nearest tree, gluing him there.

After waving goodbye to the father and son, Spider-Man swings back to the APC.

"So, uh, Sable, about my secret identity," said Spider-Man.

"It's safe with me," Silver interrupted.

"No, I meant..." Spider-Man paused awkwardly. "I mean, you figured out who I was under the mask. You realized the man you kept kissing was Peter Parker. And I do have to point out that I'm over a decade younger than you, not to mention just out of college."

"So?" Silver asked.

"I mean, what if we had met 9 years ago?" Spider-Man wondered. "If you kissed me back then and found out that Spider-Man is 15 years old, how would you feel?"

Silver didn't say a word and just shifted to the next gear. Spider-Man didn't know if she was too embarrassed to talk about it or if she just doesn't care about the age difference. Then again, he flirted with Yuri even though he knew she too was over a decade older than him.

"Just out of curiosity, have you ever been in love before?" Spider-Man asked casually.

Once again, Silver remained silent.

"Touchy subject. Sorry," Spider-Man apologized. "It's just... what if..."

Spider-Man stopped when his Spider Sense tingled. A beep on the APC's computer sounded at the same time. Danger was coming. In the form of a flaming cannonball heading straight towards them.

"Not again," Spider-Man complained, remembering that it was a cannonball that destroyed Limka's manor.

Spider-Man grabs Silver, kicks the door open, and web-zips both of them out of the APC just as the cannonball hit it, blowing it to smithereens. Spider-Man and Silver were caught in the blast radius, but it only blew them away by a couple dozen feet. Spider-Man was unconscious for thirty seconds before waking up. Silver, on the other hand, was still unconscious.

"Sable, wake up," Spider-Man pleaded. "No time for your beauty sleep. We gotta go."

Suddenly, Spider-Man gets hit with a pulse blast, sending him tumbling across the rocky terrain. That pulse blast came from the leader of U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. The Flag Smasher. He slowly walked out of the fog and showed himself to the web slinger. Spider-Man quickly recovers from the pain of the blast and faces the masked tyrant.

"Does your sister know you're wearing her swimsuit? 'Cause that looks very tight, and that's coming from me," Spider-Man joked.

"So, you are the legendary Spider-Man?" Flag Smasher spoke. "The man who stole the heart of Symkaria's only princess."

"Well, yeah... although I wasn't really trying," said Spider-Man.

"When you didn't perish in the manor, I knew Sablinova would interrogate my second-in-command," said Flag Smasher. "In case he told her everything, I prepared myself. And considering that she went all the way to New York to get you, insect, it doesn't take a genius to know that she'll go after the reporter first."

"Spiders are arachnids, Bathing Suit," Spider-Man insulted. "Just release Ms. Watson and you can get back to double-crossing Mr. Prime Minister."

"Ah, so you do know," Flag Smasher said with a sinister smile.

"Well, I only know about the intention, not the methods," said Spider-Man. Realizing what he blabbered about, he said, "Wait, I wasn't supposed to say anything, wasn't I?"

"You... dunce," Silver muttered as she slowly woke up.

"If you know, then I can't let you live," said Flag Smasher. He taps into his comm-link and says, "Fire again."

Flag Smasher flies away (as it turns out, he was hiding a Sable International jetpack under his cape) as his comrades fire the cannon again. It's headed straight for Silver Sable. Spider-Man jumps towards her as...

BOOM!

From above, Flag Smasher watches the fire and smoke left behind by the flaming cannonball. He wanted to make sure that Spider-Man and Silver Sable didn't survive. He lands just to be certain. The fire remained, but the smoke cleared a bit. No bodies. No remains. No footprints.

"Keep an eye out for them," Flag Smasher said through his comm-link.

* * *

Silver Sable wakes up after passing out again from the most recent explosion. Her body feels weak and she can barely stand, but as long as she's alive, she doesn't care about the pain. As she holds her aching head, she notices that she's inside a two-story building. The ceiling was half-destroyed, which meant the second floor can be seen. A conveniently rectangle-shaped rock was what she was lying on. She then heard commotion out the window. Her attempt to walk quickly towards the window ended with her falling on one knee. She decides to take it easy and looks out the hole in the wall.

What she saw made her... smile.

Spider-Man. Cleaning up the streets like he cleans up New York. She brought him here to rescue Mary Jane Watson and uncover Flag Smasher's betrayal plans, but to see him risk his life to save her people just reminds her why she followed his example (to an extent, at least).

Webbing three U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. agents to a wall.

Saving a group of kids from two agents, whom he used the Suspension Matrix on, wowing the kids.

Using one agent as a wrecking ball (webbing him up and spinning him around) against two agents who were about to execute a father.

Stopping an agent holding two kids hostage (then the kids beat up the agent).

Carrying an injured woman back to her husband, who happens to be a doctor.

Stopping half a dozen agents from detonating a building full of hostages.

Beating up all agents inside of an U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. tank.

After all the agents of the city have been dealt with, Spider-Man helps with the smaller things. Medical care. Putting out fires. Lifting rubble. Cheering up the kids. He does the fourth thing by playing some games with them. Despite wearing a mask, the people of Symkaria were slowly warming up to him.

"Ms. Watson, you are the luckiest woman on the planet," said Silver.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

After helping the people in the city, Spider-Man returns to the building where he left Silver Sable. She just sat there on the rectangular rock staring at her dual pistols that she placed on the ground. She had that look on her face that was impossible to read, but one emotion stood out. Sadness. Question is, why is she sad? Spider-Man, however, didn't bother to ask. He just sat down on another rectangular rock and stayed silent. Despite not wanting to provoke Silver, he did want to make her feel better, no matter what her problem is. He has one idea.

He tosses her a web shooter. As it turned out, he was saving it for her should she ever ask him to teach her how to use one. He wanted to wait until the right moment, but now seemed like a good time. When she looked at him with confusion, he just gave her a nod.

Soon enough, training started. Spider-Man used little rocks from rubble for target practice. Silver was fiddling with the web shooter, which ended with her accidentally firing a Trip Mine at Spider-Man. The wall crawler gets webbed to the nearest wall. Silver felt both amusement and regret for her honest mistake. Spider-Man can only fake-laugh at her smile.

Spider-Man helps Silver adjust her arm for her first session. Palm facing up. Ring finger and middle finger on the palm trigger. Relaxed forearm and shoulder. He demonstrates by shooting a web shot at a tiny hole in the wall. Silver takes her turn, trying to resist using her other arm to steady her aim. She aims for the rock placed on the window sill. She fires and... hits a bird outside just flying by. Spider-Man can only say that Miles did worse on his first try.

After shooting practice, Spider-Man tests to see if Silver can hit a moving target. He throws a rock in the air and Silver shoots, but accidentally shot a Web Bomb instead. She missed and the Web Bomb covered the place and the two vigilantes in webs.

While Spider-Man looks for more stuff to use as targets, Silver continues to fiddle with the web shooter. She grabs one of her pistols and tosses it in the air. She fires a web shot at it, pulls on the line, and yanks the gun back to her hand... with success. Spider-Man saw what happened and he seemed impressed by how fast she's learning.

Spider-Man tosses three empty cans in the air. Silver fire three web shots and successfully hits all the cans. Spider-Man was about to throw another can, but Silver just shoots it off his hand. She gives him a little smirk. All he can do is awkwardly clap.

Next, Spider-Man teaches Silver how to web-throw stuff. She learned pretty quickly. She just webbed up an empty case and spins around, almost hitting Spider-Man in the process. The spinning ends and Silver releases the line, hitting Spider-Man accidentally with the case. "Ow," he said.

When Spider-Man tried to teach Silver how to use the Impact Web, Silver just casually shot him with the Impact Web, webbing him to the wall. Spider-Man is starting to feel like Silver's personal training dummy, and he doesn't like it.

It got worse when Silver fiddled with the Suspension Matrix, suspending Spider-Man in mid-air. She webs him up and drags him back down to the floor. Instead of breaking free from the web coat, Spider-Man just lies down, fed up with being hit and tossed around. Silver just looks down at him and smirks again. She's having fun, he could tell. _Good for her_ , he thought.

Then comes the final part of their training. Web-swinging. Silver is on the second floor, standing close to the edge of the destroyed floor (or ceiling, from first floor view). Silver fires a web shot to the ceiling and prepares to swing. All she has to do is jump. It's only a two-story building after all... if a 15-foot drop doesn't hurt. Silver hesitates for a brief second before jumping. She ends up just dangling above. Spider-Man couldn't help but giggle. But Silver wasn't done yet. She swings back and forth repeatedly and lets go, propelling herself forward. She quickly firings another web line and swings to a direction away from the wall. She swings in circles, testing her reflexes and webbing skills. Spider-Man watches in awe as she starts swinging faster. In a 25' x 25' room with a 15-foot ceiling, she was doing quite well.

Unfortunately, Silver's next web line ends up pulling down a piece of the ceiling off. She falls. Worse, she falls down the big hole on the floor to the first floor. Fortunately, Spider-Man catches her in his arms.

Silver looks her masked friend with yet another unreadable look on her face. Light breathing and wide-open eyes could mean anything. Suddenly, she puts her arms around Spider-Man and kisses him on the lips (well, the mask's lips, to be specific, since she never lifted the mask). Silver quickly lets herself down and avoids eye contact. Was she ashamed about kissing a taken man, or is she still reeling from the war horrors? Spider-Man can never tell for sure.

* * *

Many hours later, at the Slivashide Cathedral, two U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. agents walked up to the altar with Silver Sable in chains. Prime Minister Klaus Limka stood there on the altar along with the Flag Smasher and a handful more of U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. agents. Silver is forced to her knees once again as Limka faces her with that smug look on his face. Silver can only look at him with contempt, considering what he did to her and her family.

"So, you survived," Limka started.

"I'm not so easy to kill," said Silver.

"I know about the new ally you brought here to Symkaria," said Limka. "Spider-Man. Yes, everyone in Symkaria knows who he is. News of your public display of affection in front of all New York..." He chuckled. "I admit, I was amused when I saw the video. I didn't think it was true until I watched it the second time."

"Where is he?" Flag Smasher asked. "If you survived, surely he did as well."

"He does not matter," said Silver. "Where is Ms. Watson?"

"You are in no position to be asking questions, Sable," said Limka. "It is time I finish what I started. The Sable name will be wiped off the world once and for all. It is time for Symkaria to have the ruler it needs."

Limka looks up at the shattered glass portrait, basking in the moment. That moment was ruined when he heard laughter. He turns around and sees that the laughter was coming from Silver. A really odd sight. Silver Sablinova doesn't laugh. So, why is she laughing?

"I am sorry. It's just..." Silver kept laughing. "You? You think you are what Symkaria needs? That is preposterous."

"Excuse me?" Limka questioned.

"Look at you," Silver continued. "Prime Minister Klaus Limka. A man famous for being a close friend of the Sablinova Royal Family. A man all too well-known for his political prowess. But all that, it's nothing more than a lie."

"Symkaria was already a dying country before this war," said Limka. "The balance between the strong and the weak, the wealthy and the unfortunate, it's too chaotic to be allowed to continue. Your parents would not listen to me, so I had to do what was necessary."

"But you hired assassins to kill them instead of doing the deed yourself. Cowardice," Silver insulted.

"I am no coward, Sable!" Limka bellowed.

Silver just chuckled again, confusing Limka even more.

"You think so highly of yourself when you do not even see the truth," said Silver. "Little imagination. Small thoughts. Tiny ambitions. Your capabilities as a ruler are about as miniature as your stature, and that is saying a lot."

Feeling insulted, Limka grabs one of the agent's guns and smacks Silver across the face with it. She just laughed off the pain. It was making Limka feel very uncomfortable. The confusion and uneasiness outweighed his anger.

"A child can hit harder than that," Silver insulted.

"Enough!" Limka shouted. "I will do it myself, if that is what you wish!"

Limka points the gun at Silver's head, but she was just smiling that creepy smirk. Trying to shake off how confused and scared he was feeling, he prepares to pull the trigger. Suddenly, the gun was blasted out of his hands by a repulsor blast. It came from...

War Machine. With Mary Jane Watson behind him.

"Really, Your Highness? Jokes and insults?" War Machine questioned the princess.

"I learned from the best," said Silver.

One of the U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. agents who captured the princess attacked the other agent, knocking him out with one punch. The agents takes his helmet off and reveals himself to be...

"Spider-Man!" MJ cheered with delight.

"Hey, Ms. Watson? Long way from home?" Spider-Man joked.

"Very," MJ replied with a big smile.

Silver breaks free of her chains, using a key that was hidden in her fist the whole time, courtesy of Spider-Man. Spider-Man tosses her dual pistols back to her. The other agents were about to shoot, but War Machine stuns them with a sonic cannon. Spider-Man, MJ, and Silver were unharmed due to special devices placed on their ears.

"You disarmed your enemies with bad jokes, Sable. I feel so proud," said Spider-Man.

"You taught me too much, and it paid off," Silver replied.

"Nice to meet you at last, Mr. Limka," Spider-Man greeted. "Although, I didn't expect you to have a Napoleon Complex. How tall are you? 5'2''? 5'3''? 4'6''?"

"Silence, fool!" Limka responded.

"Well, now that we have your full attention, I'd like you all to listen to the first episode of Symkaria's brand new radio show called Backstabber," said Spider-Man.

Using the speakers on War Machine's suit, Spider-Man plays a recording for Limka and Flag Smasher to hear. War Machine made sure to turn up the volume because they really wanted the two of them to listen carefully.

 _"So, when's the boss gonna betray Limka?" An U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. agent asked._

 _"Shh! Not here out in the open. You don't know who could be listening," the other agent said._

 _"I'm just saying, as fun as all these massacres have been, I wanna see the look on the prime minister's face when the Flag Smasher turns his mace on him," said Agent #1._

 _"According to our buddies, it'll happen after we kill the princess," said Agent #2. "Once she's out of the way, then you can see the look on Limka's face."_

 _"He has no idea what's coming for him," Agent #1 said mischievously._

 _"Like you didn't see this coming," Spider-Man said as he beat up the two agents._

And that ends the recording. Limka faces Flag Smasher with anger. Despite all they've done together in this war, Flag Smasher was gonna turn on him. To think that the prime minister's greatest ally would also become his greatest threat, it was shocking.

"This is false. A manufactured lie to shatter our partnership," Flag Smasher lied.

"Uh, you did hear me, right? I was eavesdropping," said Spider-Man. "But if that's not enough... Colonel?"

War Machine throws down a little holo-disc. It shows U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.'s plan to destroy the biggest cities in Symkaria, which was not part of Limka's plan. Limka kicks the holo-disc in anger and glares at Flag Smasher again.

"Why?" Limka asked. "I promised you a great reward for our success, and you do this to me?!"

"Fine," Flag Smasher muttered, deciding to give up the charade. "You want to know U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.'s true goal? Mankind was created to be one. To live in peace without race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or any other silly factor to divide us. I spent my childhood traveling the world with my father, watching every petty argument between nations, listening to every hate-fueled war-causing threat thrown from one nation's leader to another, tolerating the brutality that one side of the world would inflict on the other. But then my father was murdered due to a diplomatic misunderstanding. Conflict must be put to an end. Symkaria was the first step to achieving U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.'s goal."

"Wow. That's, uh... I'm sorry, man," Spider-Man said sympathetically.

"Your sympathy matters not," said Flag Smasher. "Now, Limka. I believe this concludes our business..."

Flag Smasher raises his mace and prepares to bring it down on Limka.

Silver kicks Limka away and glues him to the floor with Impact Web (she's still wearing the web shooter that Spider-Man gave her). Flag Smasher swings his mace at her, but she blocks his strike with her energy shield. Flag Smasher pushes with all of his strength, but Silver simply kicks him in the stomach. She follows this with a butterfly kick to the face. Flag Smasher falls down, but he was not out of the fight yet.

"I've been dreaming for a fight with you," said Flag Smasher. "Hope you are as skilled as your reputation claims you are."

"Allow me to live up to it," Silver replied.

Spider-Man webs up Agent #2 and pulls him closer, spin-kicking him in the face at the right time. Agent #3 fires at him, but he dodges every blast. He webs the agent's gun away from him and hits him with it. Spider-Man finishes Agent #3 by walk-kicking on his chest and web-pulling his face hard to the floor.

"I hate to do this in a sacred building," said Spider-Man.

War Machine takes out his stun stick and whacks Agent #4 with it. He blasts Agent #5 to unconsciousness with a repulsor blast. Agent #6 throws a grenade at War Machine, but War Machine cancels it out with a mini-missile of his own. He walks out of the smoke and punches Agent #6 in the face, knocking him out.

"Glad you invited me to the party," said War Machine.

MJ sneaks up on Agent #7 and hits him in the helmet with a Sable shock baton. The agent falls and drops his weapon. Before he could pick it up, MJ removes his helmet and shocks his head until he passes out.

"Man, that felt good," said MJ.

"Spider-Man said you were fierce. I see you're more than that," said War Machine.

"Appreciate the compliment, Colonel," said MJ.

Silver and Flag Smasher were evenly-matched. They both had skill, strength, and speed. Flag Smasher decided to show the princess of Symkaria what his mace can do. He fires what appears to be a green energy blast. Silver shields herself, but the impact of the blast knocks her down. Flag Smasher unleashes another energy blast from his mace, but Silver dives out of the way. She then uses her own extra advantage. Spider-Man's web-shooter. She blinds him with a web shot to the face. She web-snatches his mace and throws it back at him with force.

Silver kicks the mace away as she points her pistols as the U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. leader. Refusing to quit, Flag Smasher gets back up and fights Silver with his fists. She dodges his punches and kicks before unleashing a roundhouse kick to the torso. She then shoulder-strikes him towards a column. She follows that with an axe kick to the jaw. Silver pulls off Flag Smasher's mask with a web line and strikes with a back-flip kick to the face.

Flag Smasher leans towards a column in pain as Silver sticks a gun to his head.

"Killing me will be a big mistake," said Flag Smasher.

"I'm almost tempted to let you live, because in truth, I pity you," said Silver.

Silver just whacks Flag Smasher in the face with her pistol and leaves him in War Machine's watch. She approaches the still webbed-up Limka, who is struggling to break free of the web. Silver holsters one pistol and keeps a tight grip on the other. Spider-Man wanted to stop her, but she simply raised a hand in front of his face to tell him that this is not his choice to make. MJ tells him not to argue, so he steps back.

"Curse this infernal sticky substance," Limka complained as he squirmed.

Silver gets down on one knee and presses the firing end of her gun on Limka's head. The hate in her eyes. The desire for vengeance in her stare. She finally has the chance to get justice for her parents, yet she hesitates.

"So, the great Silver Sable, are you finally going to do what is necessary?" Limka dared. "If so, then you would be betraying you so-called wish to change your ways. Isn't that what you told your men when you first came back from New York?"

"I wanted nothing more than to send you to hell myself for what you have done to me," Silver said vengefully. "You took my parents from me. You raised me into a monster. You threaten the lives of my people. This should be easy, yet..."

While Silver struggles with the ultimate decision, Flag Smasher takes out a detonator and pushes the button. As it turns out, he planted bombs in the cathedral, just in case. Spider-Man's Spider Sense goes off when they were activated.

"There are bombs in here," said War Machine. "Ten seconds!"

"We gotta get out of here!" Spider-Man said.

Spider-Man grabs MJ and swings out of the cathedral. War Machine follows. Silver was about to run, but she stopped when Limka shouted her name.

"Sable!"

She turns and looks at him. He was afraid. Afraid to die. Well, of course he is. He can't rule Symkaria if he's dead.

"Can you bring yourself to do this?" Limka dared.

"I do not have to kill you, but I do not have to spare you," Silver said vengefully. "And my name is Silver."

The bombs go off as Silver makes a run for it. She manages to jump out of the door before she was crushed by debris. She, Spider-Man, MJ, and War Machine watch as the cathedral crumbles. It was already damaged from the war, but now it no longer stands. Reduced to rubble.

"Any chances Morgenthau blew himself up in there?" War Machine wondered.

"Not likely," said Silver.

"I'm not picking up his heat signature," said War Machine.

"A problem for another day," said Silver.

"What of short, stubby, and cranky?" Spider-Man asked, referring to Limka.

"Justice is served," Silver replied gravely.

Silver walks away from the rubble. With Limka deceased and Flag Smasher on the loose, the best she can do know is continue fighting the war. Her people need her and she will not let them down. Even at the cost of her soul, she would lay down her life for her country.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man and MJ get to talk for the first time since MJ left New York. War Machine can tell by the way they look at each other that MJ is Spider-Man's girlfriend.

"Hey, Tiger," MJ greeted.

"Hey to you, too," Spider-Man greeted.

"I still can't believe you came," said MJ.

"I wasn't planning to, but Sable needed me. I couldn't just say not to the princess," said Spider-Man.

"But I'm glad you came," said MJ.

"Hey, I helped too," said War Machine.

Spider-Man and MJ ignored him. He couldn't tell if it was deliberate or they were too hypnotized by each other.

"I missed you so much," said Spider-Man.

"I missed you, too," said MJ. She pulls out her Spider-Plushie and says, "I think he misses you too."

"Well, thanks for taking care of her, little guy," Spider-Man said to the plushie.

MJ giggles before pulling up Spider-Man's mask halfway to kiss him on the lips. She was being both gentle and not gentle at the same time. It shows just how much she missed him. How he returned the kiss, putting a lot of love into it, shows how much he missed her as well.

"I think I better leave," War Machine said to himself, feeling awkward.

* * *

The next day, Spider-Man was helping out with the cleaning up of yet another city cleared of U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. soldiers. Men, women, and children were not afraid to lend him a hand as he has done so much for them in so little time. He has done in a matter of minutes what the rebels couldn't do in months. There's still plenty of messes to clean up all over the country, but as they say: One step at a time (or one city at a time).

Silver and MJ watch as Spider-Man helps everyone he could help. Seeing him be so kind and selfless reminds them why he's a hero.

"Thank you for all your help, Ms. Watson," said Silver.

"That sounds like a goodbye," said MJ.

"You have done your work. Symkaria will soon have all the help it needs to finish this war," said Silver. "Limka may be gone, but Morgenthau still seeks to use my country as an example of his terrorism."

"Well, when the internet sees videos of Spider-Man helping the rebels, more help across the world is guaranteed," said MJ. "But are you sure I should leave?"

"As I've said, you've done your work," said Silver. "Without your aid, there would be little hope, even after I reclaimed my weapons from New York."

"I'm just doing what anyone should do," said MJ. "I knew the stakes, but I'm not afraid to help no matter the cost."

"You and Mr. Parker, you both enjoy taking risks despite what you both mean to each other. Always helping those in need," Silver said with admiration. "Dangerous, but admirable."

Then it was silent for a while. Both girls just watched the red-suited web-slinger bring smiles to the faces of the rebels. A beacon of hope has been shined in Symkaria and that beacon's name is Spider-Man.

"So, about Spider-Man's identity," MJ mentioned. "Do you ever feel weird about kissing him after you found out how old he is?"

"Should I?" Silver replied.

"I mean... what if you kissed him 9 years ago and found out that it's a 15-year-old under the mask? How would that make you feel?" MJ wondered awkwardly.

Silver just crossed her arms and remained silent. MJ just stood there awkwardly as she tried to forget about what she talked about. All that matters now is freeing Symkaria from this war. But what makes her happier than her work is the fact that she's going home to New York. She can finally be reunited with Peter.

* * *

Meanwhile, in U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.'s secret base in Symkaria, the injured Flag Smasher was shining his mace while waiting for his video call to be answered. He didn't know how to feel right now. Limka is dead, but that means U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. can carry out their agenda without hindrance. Unfortunately for him, more countries were lending help to save Symkaria from his organization's actions.

Contemplation will have to wait as his video call was answered. However, the receiver opted to hide his face with static.

 _"What is so important you had to waste my time, Mr. Morgenthau?" The receiver asked._

"Klaus Limka is dead, but more countries are lending military help to Symkaria," said Flag Smasher.

 _"I supplied you all the weapons you need to win this war," said the receiver. "Why the doubt?"_

"Spider-Man," Flag Smasher

 _"He is nothing but an insect," said the receiver._

"But he has showered this country with hope. The rebels and their allies will be even more motivated to win. We'll soon be outgunned," said Flag Smasher.

 _"Your goals do not concern me, Mr. Morgenthau. Results are what I want," said the receiver. "Lose this war, should you survive your defeat, I will make sure you suffer the consequences for your incompetence."_

"I will not fail," said Flag Smasher. "So long as you hold up your end of our bargain, Doom."

 **Doom. Do you know what that means? I bet you do.**

 **Anyway, that ends the chapter. This was longer than I wanted it to be, but there was so much going on anyway. The Symkaria civil war may not be over, but MJ is coming back to New York. As for War Machine, well, while I did say I didn't want crossover, I don't mind one-time appearances by other Marvel heroes (whether it's a phone call or an actual appearance). Just remember that I still plan to keep this as a "Spidey and Friends" story.**

 **Please leave a review and tell me what you think. I would appreciate it if you give me your full, honest opinion.**

 **For the next chapter, we'll be seeing how Miles was doing in New York while Peter was in Symkaria.**


	25. Waving the Silver Flag, Elsewhere

**Okay, before we get started, I would like to say something first...**

 ** _To tbone/Tbone/TBONE/T bone_: I get that you're eager for Tombstone's return in this story, but that's no reason to flood my review list and e-mail with multiple reviews asking of pretty much the same thing over and over again. You could've just put all your thoughts into ONE review and sent it (It's really hard communicating with an anonymous user). The funny thing is, I was already planning on bringing in Tombstone and Janice Lincoln for this Miles-centered chapter. I mean, what other stories could I explore with Miles besides his girlfriend and who said girlfriend's father is? Also, I ask reviews for opinions and reactions, not requests. You're lucky I was planning something you've been begging for. But after this, don't do it again. Please. Pretty please.**

 **Anyways, now that that's out of the way, let's see how Miles is doing while Peter was in Symakaria. Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion (about the chapter). I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: roxasduelwielder, josephguy217, gammaxmen80, K2-Black-Panther, Spider-Man999, Redwall, Knox, Heinkelboy05, Spideysquad**

 ** _To roxasduelwielder_: You're welcome. And, yeah, I thought it'd be funny of Peter and MJ both asking Sable about the age difference between her and Spider-Man.**

 ** _To gammaxmen80_: Well, get ready for another Just the Facts with JJJ episode.**

 ** _To K2-Black-Panther_: I've done plenty of things that don't fit Sable's character (entertaining Spidey's humor instead of ignoring him, listening to some random loudmouth on the radio a.k.a. Jameson, being a bit of a hugger, etc.). Look, the whole "Sable being a mother" thing is something I still have to consider as she will be coming back to New York eventually. But, hey, thanks for commenting about Sable's web shooter and War Machine. Very much appreciated.**

 ** _To Spideysquad_: First of all, big thanks for the review. I'm glad you love it. And yeah, all that Sable emotion, just wow (even to me). As for why Doom, I guess I'm just worried. There's only so much small-time stories I can tell in this "one-shot collection" before everyone would start begging for something bigger. I still want to keep this isolated in Manhattan, but when the time is right, I'll try to add something more. The Raft breakout, HYDRA, and Latveria... that's all the potential stories I'll be teasing at this point. Until I'm ready, it's a tease for now. It's still a "Spidey and Friends" story.**

 ** _To Guest_: Probably not, but I'll most likely be using Doom at some point in this story.**

Bystanders have captured footage of Spider-Man leaving Manhattan with Silver Sable on her jet. While the red-suited wall crawler is heading for Symkaria to help with the civil war, Kid Arachnid (secretly Miles Morales) is left to take care of the city in his mentor's absence. School is over and it's summer time. Plus, Miles can come and go from F.E.A.S.T. whenever he wants to so no one would really become suspicious of him. Of course, there's his new girlfriend, Janice Connolly. Yup, they're still dating.

Miles aims to prove to himself and to the people that he is capable of protecting Manhattan while their favorite web-slinger is unavailable. After eating breakfast with his mom and telling his best friend that he'll meet him at Central Park after lunch, Miles suits up as Kid Arachnid. The name still bothers him, but he's slowly growing into it. You would think that's weird considering he was okay being called "Spider-Boy," but it's clear he wanted a manlier name to go with his new black and red suit.

"Ah, what a beautiful day," Kid Arachnid said. "Swinging through the city, seeing your reflection on buildings, ignoring that giant mustache on Jameson's billboard..."

HONK! HONK!

"And chasing yet another tank truck," Kid Arachnid added sarcastically. "Why is this a running gag in my superhero life? Hopefully, I can stop this without blowing up another street. Or else, Jameson isn't gonna be the only one who will never let me hear the end of it."

Kid Arachnid swings as fast as he can towards the truck. Two thugs in tracksuits stole it and are using it to escape a police car. The police won't shoot because it would risk the truck detonating and killing innocents. Kid Arachnid wastes no time swinging towards the chase. His Spider Sense failed to alert him to an incoming pigeon (which his face ran into), but he stayed on track.

"It's Spider-Boy!" The thug in the passenger seat said, having seen the black-suited superhero through the mirror.

"Didn't you watch Screwball's channel? He's Kid Arachnid now," said the thug driving the truck. "Anyway, forget about it! Just shoot him!"

Thug #2 (the one in the passenger seat) looks out the window again with a gun in his hand, preparing to shoot Spider-Man's sidekick out of the sky. However, he was gone, which confused him. Thug #1 (the one driving) did she something from the mirror on his side. Kid Arachnid crawling on the side of the tank.

"He's on the left side!" Thug #1 shouted.

Kid Arachnid webs the door off its hinges and says, "Who taught you guys to drive?"

Kid Arachnid web-pulls Thug #1 out of the car. He uses Impact Web to safely glue him to a wall. That just leaves the guy in the passenger seat. Thug #2 quickly turns his gun towards the sidekick, but Kid Arachnid grabs his arms and pushes him, causing him to shoot up, riddling the roof with bullets.

"No guns in the car!" Kid Arachnid quipped.

Kid Arachnid grabs the gun off the thug's hands and throws it out of the door-less doorway. Only now does Kid Arachnid notice that the truck is swerving left and right with no one working the wheel. Since he's sitting on the passenger seat, he might as well do it himself. Two problems, though. One, he doesn't know how to drive. Two...

"Die, runt!" Thug #2 shouted as he pulled out a knife.

Kid Arachnid manages to use one arm to deal with the thug, preventing himself for getting stabbed and punching the thug in the face. The thug persists and keeps trying to either punch or stab Kid Arachnid. It ends up in a slap fight with Kid Arachnid using one arm while trying to keep the truck from hitting civilians. The people run for their lives as Kid Arachnid determines to keep the car on the road and away from the sidewalks. That was proving a lot more difficult with the thug constantly trying to kill him.

"Dude, we are going to die!" Kid Arachnid said.

"You killed my friend!" Thug #2 shouted.

"Hey, I don't kill. First rule Spider-Man taught me," said Kid Arachnid.

Kid Arachnid tries to hit the brakes, but his struggle with the thug causes him to accidentally break the brake pedal. He incapacitates the thug by shocking him with his bio-electric powers.

"Great! The brakes are busted," Kid Arachnid complained. "Nice job, man. Can't wait to hear from Jameson when this thing blows up... if I live to hear it, that is."

Kid Arachnid throws the unconscious thug out of the car and glues him to a wall with Impact Web. He jumps out of the car and leaps to the back. He fires two web shots at the truck's bumper and starts pulling, trying to stop it himself. It was barely working, but it was working. His heels scratched the road as the truck dragged him. People continued to run and scream to get away from the chaos. Everyone is well aware of Kid Arachnid's track record with tank trucks. Maybe that's why criminals keep stealing them. To make Kid Arachnid look bad.

"C'mon! C'mon! C'mon, K.A.!" He said to himself. "Wait, the wheels."

Kid Arachnid holds the two web lines with one hand and uses the other to fire web shots at the rear wheels. Unfortunately, that only ends up unscrewing the rear wheels from the truck. The truck's rear descends and the bumper hits the road, creating that very uncomfortable metal-scratching-the-road sound and releasing hot sparks like during welding.

"Oh, c'mon!" Kid Arachnid complained.

Kid Arachnid stops pulling and propels himself to the front of the car. He attempts to use his super strength to push on the front and stop the truck. It's working. Unfortunately, the tank of the truck starts leaking gasoline and the hot sparks were igniting them. When he finally stopped the truck, his Spider Sense went into overdrive. The trail of gasoline was lit up like gunpowder, heading towards the tank truck.

Kid Arachnid jumps high and web-pulls the tank off the truck. Using his super strength, he pulls the tank high in the sky. He fires an Electric Web shot and causes the tank to explode. The blast sent him falling down fast and towards the blazing fire caused by the gasoline trail. The electricity from his fingers goes out of control and creates an even bigger fire. He had to rush out of the flames before he gets burned alive.

The people can only watch the young superhero run away while the fire gets worse. Kid Arachnid extinguishes himself as he watches the blazing fire from a rooftop.

"I know I'm a rookie, but do I really stink that bad?" He whined. "Well, your move, Jameson."

* * *

Meanwhile, in The Raft, Lonnie Lincoln (a.k.a. Tombstone) is in the prison cafeteria making soup. Yup, Tombstone is now working with The Raft's kitchen staff. Being the great cook he is (as said in his bio, written by Spider-Man), he made some changes to the prison's soup that everyone loved. Because of that, he was allowed to become a cook. Of course, he was still under heavy surveillance just in case. So far, he hasn't pulled anything sinister like food poisoning or anything. Every soup he makes is greatly loved by the staff and the prisoners.

"Ever thought about starting a food business, Lonnie?" Ethan the chef asked.

"Our Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Guy suggested it to me once," said Tombstone. "And I told him, if it pays, I'm in."

"Well, you're good at it. A whole lot more rewarding than selling drugs," said Ethan.

"Don't be too optimistic, Ethan," said Tombstone.

"Are you sure there's nothing else out there for you, Lonnie?" asked Ethan. "A family, perhaps?"

Tombstone's hand froze when Ethan said "family." This made the big guy think about his daughter, Janice. Even now, she still doesn't know who he is. And now that his wife has told him that her skin is starting to become impermeable like his (before Spider-Man doused him with a counter drug), he worries more he won't be able to see her. He's supported her behind her back, but now he's stuck in this prison serving soup. He did enjoy cooking, though.

"Okay, Lincoln. Time to go back to your cell," said a Raft guard. "Are you done?"

"Pretty much," said Tombstone.

Tombstone is cuffed and escorted back to his cell. Suddenly, the guard escorting Tombstone was hit with a tranquilizer dart. The guard who incapacitated the guard approached Tombstone and unlocks his cuffs. This guard's eyes were glowing. That spooked Tombstone a little.

"When the alarm goes off, run," said the guard. "The chopper is heavily guarded, but the speedboat is easier to get to."

"What the hell is going on here?" Tombstone asked.

"Freedom," said the guard.

Before Tombstone can ask another question, the guard shot himself in the head. Then the alarms go off. Tombstone takes the dead guard's gun and makes a run for it. He shoots every Raft guard trying to stop him. He ends up getting shot twice - one bullet to the left shoulder, one on the right forearm - but he shakes it off and keeps running. As the glowy-eyed guard said, the speedboat is better accessible. He kills all the guards guarding the speedboats and steals one.

He starts driving the speedboat towards Manhattan. The rest of the Raft's security staff would've found out he escaped by now, but he wasn't counting on his escape being easy.

"Daddy's coming home, Jan," said Tombstone.

* * *

In the apartment belonging to Janice and her mom, Miles showed up with an injured shoulder. He needed a little patching up, but he didn't want his mom to worry or find out what he's been up to. So, he goes to his girlfriend. Lucky for them, Janice's mom is away so they have the place all to themselves. Good thing Mrs. Connolly keeps a first aid kit around.

"What exactly happened again?" Janice asked as she treated his shoulder.

"The latest truck chase with Kid Arachnid. I got startled and hit something. Hard," Miles lied.

"And you came to me instead of your mom, because why?" asked Janice.

"You were... closer from where I was," Miles lied.

"Well, I'm glad you're okay," said Janice. "I'm no doctor, but I think that shoulder will be fine as long as you don't do anything else today. I'll call F.E.A.S.T. and tell them you'll be missing from work today."

Miles' phone beeps due to a notification. Jameson's latest episode is on.

"I know I'm a hypocrite for asking this since I also listen to his podcast, but why do you listen to him?" Janice asked.

"He's hilarious," Miles said nonchalantly.

Miles and Janice listen to the latest episode of Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson.

 _"Listeners, be sure your children are listening because I have a Math lesson for them," said Jameson. "Kid Arachnid plus tank trucks equals what? KABOOM! That's right! KABOOM! Every time that black-suited newbie chases a tank truck driven by criminals, it always ends with something going on fire and endangering people who just want to go about their day walking down the street in peace. And that's what happened today. Another tank truck, another explosion. As much as I criticize Spider-Man for the damage he causes, his protege is far worse. That's like, what, the fifth tank truck he's destroyed. The fifth time he's almost killed innocent civilians. The fifth time he's proven that he's too green to do this vigilante justice. If he really wants to go on with his mentor's delusional antics... JUST CHASE BICYCLES!"_

And that's the end of that episode.

"You think Spider-Man is gonna give Kid Arachnid a hard time for this?" Janice wondered.

"Well, if innocents are endangered, he won't be happy," said Miles. "I mean, I told you how I met him once. He's a nice guy, he can also be kinda serious."

"Must be hard for Kid Arachnid. Living up to his hero's expectations," Janice said sympathetically.

"So, since I'm sidelined, what's say you and I hang out somewhere?" Miles suggested. "Maybe just walk around the park, go to the arcade again, or just a walk?"

"How about we just play a board game?" Janice suggested. "Scrabble?"

"Not really a fan, but okay," said Miles.

"I'll get it. You stay here and don't move," said Janice.

While Janice goes to her room to get the Scrabble board, Miles' Spider Sense goes off. There was something dangerous outside. He looks outside the window. His Spider Sense seems to be luring his sight towards a large man wearing a large coat and a fedora. He can't see his face, though, especially not from a high angle and the hat he's wearing. This man is walking towards the building he's in. Miles can't help but feel that he could be coming to Janice's apartment.

"Uh, Jan, are you sure we can't just go out?" Miles asked, hoping to get away from the danger.

"You asked me to be your nurse, and I say no going out for you, mister," Janice said from the other room.

Janice comes back with the Scrabble board. Miles couldn't think and relax because his Spider Sense is driving him nuts. The stranger in the coat is coming. He can feel it. He tried to act calm, but Janice noticed his uneasiness.

"Afraid of losing?" Janice teased.

"Um... not really," Miles said nervously.

After the two have taken three turns each, someone knocked on the door, startling Miles. Janice answers the door, much to his worry. To his horror, it was the man in the coat and fedora. He can see his face now, and he recognized him... from pictures. It's Tombstone. Janice, however, doesn't recognize. If anything, she was weirded out by his skin tone.

"Hello, miss. Is your mother home?" Tombstone asked.

"No, she's at work," said Janice. "You her new boyfriend or something?"

Tombstone chuckles and says, "Just an old friend. I came here to give her this."

Tombstone gives Janice an envelope full of cash. $2000, to be exact. Miles knows this must be from Tombstone's drug operations. _But why would he give them to Janice's mom_ , he wondered.

"Mom has been pretty tight on money as of late," said Janice. "Knowing her, she'll just add this to my college fund."

"Well, you must special for her to waste so much," said Tombstone. "What's your name?" He already knew, but he pretended not to.

"Janice," Janice answered.

"Nice name," Tombstone smiled.

"Should I tell mom you stopped by?" Janice asked.

"No," said Tombstone. "I've done my part for her. Nice to meet you, Janice."

Tombstone walks away, having done what he wanted to do. To see his daughter for the first time and to support her financially, as he always did before he was arrested the first time.

"Strange but nice man," said Janice.

"Uh, Janice, um... I have to go," said Miles. Thinking of a lie, he says, "I just got a text from my mom. She wants me to run an errand. Don't worry. It won't require much arm work."

"Oh, okay," said Janice. "Take care. Make sure you don't stress that shoulder."

Janice gives Miles a cheek kiss before he leaves. He smiles and blushes. It's the first time she's ever kissed him. Well, anywhere, at least. Next thing he knows, she'll kiss him on the lips while his guard is down. _Does Spider Sense warn you of incoming surprise kisses_ , he wondered.

* * *

At the Alchemax plant in Harlem, Tombstone is stealing chemicals to restart his drug business. He had to kill a couple of workers on the way in. He shot them quite easily. Just when he thought it was gonna be easy, a certain web-slinger comes in. Just not the web-slinger he tangles with a lot. It's the new web-slinger.

"Out of prison and already back to making drugs. My friend would be very disappointed," said Kid Arachnid.

"I'm disappointed he didn't come and see me himself," said Tombstone.

"He's fighting a civil war right now. So, it's my turn to take you back to prison," said Kid Arachnid.

"We both know I'm not going back without a fight," said Tombstone.

"Spidey says you love a good challenge," said Kid Arachnid. "Allow me to give you one."

Kid Arachnid goes for a Swing Kick, but Tombstone times his swing correctly and whacks him out of the air with a lead pipe. Kid Arachnid only has his absent Spider Sense to blame. His wasn't as strong as Spider-Man's.

"Wish I brought my favorite sledgehammer to this fight. Didn't have time to recover it during the breakout. Too bad," said Tombstone.

"Okay, Grave Duster, let's do this," Kid Arachnid said with determination.

Kid Arachnid web-zips himself towards Tombstone. Tombstone dodges the kick, leaving Kid Arachnid to crash into a work table. Tombstone grabs a dolly and throws it at the rookie superhero. Kid Arachnid stops it with a web shot and web-throws it at Tombstone. Tombstone uses the pipe to swing it away like a baseball. Kid Arachnid fires a web shot at the pipe, trying to web it away from Tombstone's hand. Tombstone persists and starts winding up the pipe with the web. He pulls on the pipe hard and pulls Kid Arachnid towards him. Tombstone times it correctly and punches Kid Arachnid in the stomach.

"A challenge, huh?" Tombstone questioned. "You've got guts, but not the flare. I'm really disappointed."

Tombstone prepares to bludgeon Kid Arachnid with the pipe, but he webs himself out of the way. Kid Arachnid fires an Electric Web shot and then web-zips himself towards the drug dealer again for a successful kick to the face. He punches and kicks Tombstone repeatedly, hoping to wear him down. Tombstone's newfound vulnerability doesn't mean he's still not a tough customer. He's still a 6'7'', 300+ pound beast. Tombstone shrugs off the punches and punches Kid Arachnid hard in the face, knocking him down.

"Give me a real fight, rookie. I dare you," said Tombstone, growing bored.

Tombstone raises his fist and brings it down, but Kid Arachnid tumbles out of the way, letting the big fist hit the floor instead. Kid Arachnid tries to web Tombstone's legs together to get the upper hand. He lands a super strong uppercut that knocks Tombstone on his back.

"How's that for a fight?" Kid Arachnid said.

Tombstone responds by using the pipe to rip the webbing off his feet. Kid Arachnid fires more web shots, but Tombstone accepts the hits as he charges at Kid Arachnid. Kid Arachnid jumps up and over the charging behemoth, but Tombstone whacks him out of the air with his pipe. Tombstone throws a small table at Kid Arachnid, who was too late to dodge it. Tombstone whacks Kid Arachnid with the pipe a couple more times before punching him in the face again.

"Are you sure you're not on steroids again, man?" Kid Arachnid grunted in pain.

"I'm afraid this will be our only dance, rookie," Tombstone said as he raised his pipe.

"DAD, STOP!"

Tombstone and Kid Arachnid turn their heads to see...

Janice.

She puts herself in between Tombstone and the injured superhero, begging the former not to hurt the latter. Tombstone lowers his pipe as he looks at his daughter with awe. They see each other face-to-face again. Only this time, she knows who he is.

"This guy is your father?" Kid Arachnid asked, shocked.

"It's okay, Dad. I know," Janice said. "Just, please, don't hurt him."

"If you know who I am, then you know you shouldn't be here," said Tombstone.

"But you wouldn't hurt me, would you?" Janice asked. "You think I don't know that mom has been getting money from her ex. I hear her shouting on the phone when she thinks I'm not listening. I know you were the one supporting me. I know I should be scared, what with you being a drug lord and all, but I'm not. You care."

"Which is why I never wanted to be involved in your life," said Tombstone. "Besides, your mother wouldn't let me even if I wanted to."

"But you wanted to," said Janice. "That's why you came to my apartment. You wanted to see me."

"Baby girl, all I wanted was to see you just one time," said Tombstone. "But I know you're too good for me. That's why I'm skipping town."

"You're leaving?" Kid Arachnid questioned.

"I can't stay here in Manhattan," said Tombstone. "Not for long, at least."

"But you will be back, right?" asked Janice.

"You know who I am, Jan. Why would you care?" Tombstone asked curiously. "I'm not saying I don't want you to, but... why?"

"I just found out you're my dad," Janice replied, uncertain. "I don't exactly know how I'm supposed to react. Should I be angry that mom never told me? Should I be angry that you never told me? Should I be scared that my dad is a murderer and a drug lord? Should I be grateful that you've been providing for me all these years?"

Tombstone gets down on one knee to see his daughter at eye level.

"No matter what I've done or who I've killed, you're my special little flower," Tombstone said. "Seeing you grow up from the distance, well, call your old man a softie but I never wanted to stay distant. To keep you out of my type of work, I would. But to see you, my own flesh and blood, I wouldn't."

"Wow. Tombstone's got a heart," Kid Arachnid mumbled, surprised.

"Dad, if you really care, then you have to go back to jail," said Janice. "I'm glad you want to provide, but with money made from the suffering of others? I'm surprised mom could stomach spending that."

"She was desperate. I was just lending her a hand, whether she wanted it or not," said Tombstone. "But I can't go back, baby girl. I got loose ends to tie up outside of town."

"I won't let you hurt anyone," said Janice.

"The criminal world is a cruel world, Jan. Even if I promise, I won't be able to keep it," said Tombstone. "It's just not how this type of job works. I've been doing it for too long to stop."

"You won't stop even for me?" Janice asked.

"I wish I could, but I'm no saint, Jan," said Tombstone. "You know who I am, and that is who I am. But in spite of all the products I've made over nearly 20 years in this business, my greatest creation... is you, Jan."

Tombstone places his hand on his daughter's shoulder in a very comforting manner as he smiles. Janice couldn't help but shed a tear. Is this killer really her father? Is he really as bad as everyone says he is? She holds his hand and sheds a few more tears.

"Uh, I hate to ruin the moment, but he's still a criminal who escaped from a supermax prison," Kid Arachnid reminded. "Just make it easy on yourself, Lincoln, and go back to prison. For your daughter."

"Sorry, kid. No can do," said Tombstone. "I suggest you focus on bigger problems."

"Unless we're talking about Kingpin or Rhino, what could be bigger?" Kid Arachnid joked.

"Von Meyer escaped The Raft months ago because someone let him out. Same happened to me," Tombstone informed. "Our rescuers killed themselves afterwards. Something's fishy."

"You expect me to let you go while you have me chase some silly theory?" Kid Arachnid questioned.

"It's up to her," Tombstone said, referring to his daughter.

Janice was torn here. She knows that the right thing to do is to turn her father in, but she didn't want to. She was hoping he would redeem himself and believes he needs freedom to do that. He cares about her, which means he's capable of love and compassion. Maybe her emotions are clouding her judgment, mostly because she doesn't know what emotion is dominant concerning this situation.

"Just go," Janice decided.

Kid Arachnid protested. "But..."

"No," Janice interrupted. "Dad, just go."

Tombstone just takes his stuff and leaves. He left some chemicals behind, though. Maybe his emotions are getting to him too. Kid Arachnid didn't move as Tombstone gets on his motorcycle and heads for the outside of Manhattan. He's a fugitive now, and he doesn't want to stay in New York for long.

"I am in so much trouble with Spider-Man," Kid Arachnid said worriedly.

"Don't worry, Miles. I'm sure he'll understand," said Janice.

"Wait, what?! You kn... you knew?!" Kid Arachnid asked, shocked.

"How do you think I knew to come here? I followed you," said Janice. "You're a terrible liar, you know. Plus, you showing up at my place with an injured shoulder after footage of Kid Arachnid walking off the tank truck explosion with the same injured shoulder seems highly suspicious. Also, I recognize your voice."

"Okay, you got me," Kid Arachnid surrendered as he took off his mask. "So, uh, are you angry?"

"Superheroes hide their identities to protect those they love. I understand," said Janice. "I'll keep your secret on one condition. I want in."

"You... you want to be a superhero?" asked Miles. "Look, that's nice and all, but this is way too dangerous."

"I just want to help," said Janice. "I can be your girl in the chair or your field partner. Whatever works. Besides, indestructible skin, remember? I can handle myself."

"Okay, good point," said Miles. "But if we're gonna do this, you need a codename. I can't just tap into my comm-links and say your name on the field. Just trying to be safe."

"Then call me... um... Beetle," said Janice. "Beetles have hard shells. I have hard skin..."

"And beetles are your favorite animals," Miles finished. "Okay, I guess you're my girl in the chair... Beetle."

"I trust you won't track down my father," said Janice.

"I can't believe you're defending him," said Miles.

"Hey, I don't like it either. But he cares about me. That's enough for me," said Janice.

"This better come back to bite us in the future," Miles hoped.

* * *

Miles returned home with a sorta sad look on his face. As he grabs orange juice from the fridge, his mom notices his surprisingly sour mood. He sits down and drinks the orange juice through the bottle instead of pouring it in a cup. He knew his mom was gonna talk to him about his mood, but he chose to stay in the kitchen because maybe he needed to talk to her.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Rio asked. "Did you and Janice break up?"

"No, we're still together," said Miles.

"Bobby and Tanner bullying you again?" Rio asked.

"No," said Miles.

"Then what's wrong?" asked Rio.

"Mom, do you ever feel like there's such a thing as doing the wrong thing for the right reason?" Miles asked.

"Why, what did you do?" asked Rio.

"Uh..." Miles paused.

"Miles," Rio said in a scolding tone.

"Janice found her dad, but he's a criminal. I wanted to turn him in, but she wanted him to be free to redeem himself. So, I let him go," Miles confessed. "Please don't tell anyone. Janice will kill me."

"Well, that's... that's heavy," Rio reacted. "Does her father love her?"

"He's been secretly providing for her. High school tuition. School project budgets. Everything she buys at the mall. All he wanted was to be a part of her life, but he can't," said Miles. "I don't know... I feel like I just did a bad thing."

"But Janice wanted to let him go?" Rio asked.

"Yeah, she did," Miles answered.

"Well, I don't have an easy answer here, Miles," said Rio. "All I can say is you have to trust Janice. If she made the wrong choice, you have to be there to help her see that. But if she made the right choice, then you have to be there for her."

Miles stops to think about his mom's words. Can he really support Janice's decision to let Tombstone, a dangerous drug lord, go free? His contemplation was cut short by a notification on his phone. Another episode of Just the Facts is on its way.

 _"Folks, the tides of the Symkarian Civil War have been shifted. Prime Minister Klaus Limka - the traitor who ignited the war - is dead," Jameson reported. "But his hired army, now known as the Underground Liberated Totally Integrated Mobile Army To Unite Mankind - or U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. for short; terrible name, great acronym - is still fighting his fight. Fortunately, Manhattan's own Mary Jane Watson and her online influence are bringing in more countries, including our own, to aid Silver Sable in her war. Unfortunately, it would seem that a virus from our own streets has infected another country. And that virus is - you guessed it - SPIDER-MAN! According to Ms. Watson's interviews, that red-headed menace has been seen fighting U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. And the rebels, the women, and the children are actually... praising him for his efforts. GAH! It's bad enough Spider-Man is a city phenomenon... or national phenomenon as my intern Jared just told me... but now Spider-Man getting involved in a civil war is making him a global phenomenon? GAH! WHAT WORLD ARE WE LIVING IN WHERE A MENACE WITH A MASK BECOMES A SYMBOL OF HOPE TO A DYING COUNTRY WHEN THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW HIS NAME AND FACE?! Why does nobody listen to me? I am a man of the people and it's my job to prevent my fellowmen - New Yorker, American, or foreigner - from worshiping a false idol. WHAT IF SPIDER-MAN WANTS TO INFECT THE MINDS OF THE ENTIRE WORLD WITH HIS SO-CALLED HEROISM?! He's a vandal, a troublemaker, a narcissist, a destroyer, a glory hog, a menace to modern society, and the people of Symkaria actually want to praise this masked menace as a hero? What's next?! A medal of honor from the President?!"_

 _Jameson paused to breathe._

 _"Okay, I need to lie down, folks! I admit, I am appalled by the thought of Spider-Man being renowned as a war hero, only because the world doesn't know what a threat/menace he is," Jameson said. "JARED, UNSUBSCRIBE FROM MS. WATSON'S CHANNEL! IF I SO MUCH AS CATCH YOU WATCHING A VIDEO OF A MAN, WOMAN, CHILD, OR SOLDIER PRAISING THAT GRANDSTANDING IRRITANT, I'LL MAKE SURE THE NEXT JOB YOU GET DOESN'T PAY YOU ONE CENT!"_

And so that ends another episode of Just the Facts. More of Jameson's anti-Spider-Man rants and more of Jared getting treated like no intern should ever be treated. _Poor Jared_ , everyone in New York thought.

"That man is so full of anger," Rio commented. "Why listen to him, Miles?"

"I guess we're just waiting for the day he finally lightens up and says something nice about Spider-Man... or to just laugh as his blood pressure rises," Miles said jokingly.

 **Not my best work, but I just wanted to get this out of the way. I have better things to do than be pressured by requests that I don't want to accept or just want to put an end to. In this case... Tbone. Have mercy on my soul, please.**

 **Leave a review if you like. No requests, just your full, honest opinion on the chapter, please.**

 **And please tell me what you think of Jameson's podcast in this chapter. I'd really appreciate that. Not a lot of people react in their reviews about Just the Facts with JJJ and that's honestly kinda sad. I put so much work into it.**

 **Notes:**

 **\- Tombstone's breakout is linked to the chapter where Swarm broke out. That Raft breakout plan by the Demons I've been teasing, I'm still working on it but I don't mind reminding everyone of it.**

 **\- Tombstone will return... someday.**


	26. The Web Ties That Bind Us

**Similar to a TV show heading into a new season, this story is pretty much heading into a new "season". I've played it safe while trying to incorporate the three-part DLC storyline the best way I can. Make no mistake, I'm still going to keep the main focus on the relationships between the Main Six (Spider-Man, MJ, Miles, Yuri, Black Cat, and Silver Sable), but I'm gonna try - emphasis on "try" - to deliver on the bigger plots I've been teasing, such as Green Goblin, Latveria, HYDRA, A.I.M., and the Raft breakout. But for now... a documentary. I've been wanting to do something like this for a while and a recent episode of a superhero TV show gave me the inspiration I needed.**

 **Before you read, I want to clarify what to expect in this documentary chapter:**

 **1\. Several characters will be interviewed for the documentary.**

 **2\. The current date of the story at this point is July 2019. This is because you may find a character's name next to a date (for example, an interview from Silver Sable back on November 2018) that indicates it's an interview from the past, not the present. Imagine watching the documentary and the screen will tell you the name of the person of being interviewed and when the interview took place. So, please, pay very close attention to the dates to avoid confusion.**

 **3\. Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me you full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: roxasduelwielder, Heinkelboy05, gammaxmen80, K2-Black-Panther, monkey d luffy, josephguy217, red hood, Knox, That One Guy, Spideysquad, LIL BOW WOW, PhantomWorks - Stories division**

 ** _To roxasduelwielder_: I'm afraid I haven't seen Spectacular Spider-Man. Where I'm from, it's not easy to get cable. Nickelodeon, Disney, and Nick are all I got in the 2000s. The Spidey series I grew up with instead is Ultimate Spider-Man.**

 ** _To Tbone_: Just don't beg me again to bring Tombstone back and I'll forgive you. I'll bring him back when I want to. I'm only one man in front a computer, after all.**

 ** _To Knox_: I'm still working on how Janice will get her armor. One step at a time, but I already have a few ideas in mind.**

 ** _To Shazam_: The Demons. I thought it was obvious.**

 ** _To JACK THE DOG_: Not the first time I got that kind of request. Even if I do it one day, I don't know what kind of trip it would be. **

**_To PhantomWorks - Stories division_: Yeah, well, I couldn't wait a little longer after the game's release before starting this story. I could've had Miles take it slow, but closest thing to "taking it slow" in this story is him not getting his signature black and red suit until Chapter 21. There's a reason there was no Just the Facts episode in my Silver Linings-based chapter. I had to re-edit the Just the Facts episode in Chapter 2 after Silver Lining. It's lame compared to Jameson's in-universe reaction to a second Spider-Man, but I just had to re-edit.**

While Spider-Man is a popular figure across New York (with - according to Twitter - 82% of its citizens supporting his actions), people remain curious about who he is. His Twitter account does, to an extent, help people see more of Spider-Man as other than a wisecracking superhero in a tight suit. Most of the city admires his actions, his will, and his influence on everyone. Fortunately, they don't try to become like him by dressing up like him and fighting crime, unlike that one guy who almost got himself killed pretending to be Spider-Man (he gives self-defense classes to the people at F.E.A.S.T. now, per Spider-Man's suggestion). They remind themselves that anyone can make a difference beyond just wearing a mask and tights. Still, the people want to know a little bit more about the hero they worship so much. Not his secret identity, necessarily. Just more about him.

Well, one person has made it her personal mission to give the people and in-depth look at New York's favorite web-slinger. What started out as a simple intent to share different views on Spider-Man turned into an idea to create a documentary on Spider-Man himself. She encountered the web head himself on the rooftop of her apartment building to ask him if he could help her with it. After a few lectures on how bad of an idea this is, Spider-Man actually agreed to it.

Of course, a documentary on Spider-Man will require interviews with multiple people to share different perspectives. The author of this documentary has somehow managed to convince several people to agree to an interview or two.

* * *

After getting everything settled, the interviewer waits for Spider-Man on the rooftop of a building close to Avengers Tower. She had her favorite camera in her hands and a huge smile on her face. To say she was behaving like an overexcited fangirl would be an understatement. She's met Spider-Man before, but that was strictly to ask him about the documentary. This would be the first time they'll have an actually normal conversation, even if it is in the form of an interview. While she waited, she decided to record some voice-over for the documentary.

"Vigilante. Threat. Menace. Criminal. Spandex-suited psycho. All of these insults, all of them aimed at the one man who has done nothing but good for this city. He swings over our heads in a red suit punching criminals who refuse to change their ways, always prioritizing the innocents' safety above all else, taking care of us even though he owes us nothing. An inspiring figure in a world where heroes like the Avengers exist. Does that sound like a threat? Does that sound like a menace? You be the judge. That is why we will be delving deep into the mind of New York's favorite superhero, right her in... Once Upon A Web."

She then smacks herself for that title.

"No, that sounds like a bad fantasy film. Think, girl. Think. A title that people can take seriously and make them think hard about the hero that Spidey truly is. Maybe something like... One Web At A Time? No. Spider-Man: Web of Justice? Too cheesy. World Wide Web? Nah."

After another minute of thinking of a name for her documentary...

"WOO-HOO!"

The interviewer's smile grew wider as she turned her camera towards where the "woo-hoo" came from. Spider-Man announces his arrival with not justa "woo-hoo" but also with a spectacular air trick. A Moonsault that leads to an upside-down Flying Helix. The interviewer got it all on tape. Spider-Man flips on the side of Avengers Tower and starts running upwards. He performs a super jump off the building and lands gracefully on the rooftop where the interviewer is.

 **Spider-Man (a.k.a. Spidey)  
July 2019**

"Ta-da," Spider-Man finished.

"I never get tired of watching that," the interviewer said excitedly. "You rock to no end, Spidey!"

"Well, I aim to please, even when I'm saving a cat from a tree," said Spider-Man.

"I am so, so, so glad we could do this," said the interviewer. "I know you prefer to let your actions tell your story, but the people really need to know what you're really like. After you saved New York from the Devil's Breath crisis, I think it's high time the people of New York see inside the mind of the hero who saved them."

"Well, answering questions that could threaten my secret identity is the main reason I didn't want to do this in the first place. But I guess I'd like to leave something behind for everyone after I retire... or die," said Spider-Man. "Anyway, let's get this show started. You may roll the camera, miss."

"It's been on for 57 seconds," the interviewer said.

"Oh," Spider-Man reacted. "Well, where should we start?"

"Something simple, of course. We wouldn't want the best stuff to be wasted early," said the interviewer. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what inspired you to become Spider-Man?"

"Well, let's just say this city has wronged me in more ways than one. Just an ordinary guy trying to make a living and he gets a kick-me sign glued to his butt for no reason whatsoever," Spider-Man started. "When I got these powers, well, what was I supposed to do with them? Rob a bank? Get revenge on the guys who bullied me in high school? Wrap Jameson in a cocoon and leave him for the vultures? No. No, I can't do that. This is gonna sound like some dramatic quote from a movie, but... when you're gifted with great power, you have to understand the responsibility that comes with it."

"And despite that, Jameson still thinks you're a menace," said the interviewer.

"Well, he's not completely wrong. Black Cat and I had some history, as everyone knows pretty much at this point," Spider-Man said sarcastically. "Don't ask me about her, please."

"I take it #SpiderCat is dead then," the interviewer guessed.

"Dear God, help me," Spider-Man muttered in a whiny tone.

"Either he's got it bad or he hasn't got it bad enough," the interviewer narrated.

"I can hear you," said Spider-Man. "Either we move on to the next topic, take five, or this whole documentary business is off."

"Okay, let's take five... or fifteen," the interviewer agreed.

"Twenty," Spider-Man insisted.

* * *

The interviewer proceeded with the voice-over recordings. "If you think like a psychologist or you just think too hard for a living, you could say that Spider-Man's sense of humor is a coping mechanism to deal with his loneliness. I mean, he does all these great things, but he doesn't get to share his life with anyone. It's a sad thought, isn't it? Sure, he's had run-ins with the Avengers, most notably when he aided them in the fight against an alien invasion - the Kree, I believe those aliens were called - but he chooses to operate solo instead of accepting an opportunity of a lifetime to be among Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Although, we could be wrong. Spider-Man truly values the bonds he forges with the people in this city. You'd be surprised how many he may run into more than once..."

 **Mary Jane Watson  
July 2019**

In the Daily Bugle, Mary Jane Watson was simply doing some work on her desk when the interviewer showed up for their interview. Yes, MJ is one of the people who agreed to share her view on Spider-Man for the documentary. She was fine with doing it here in the office, since she already talked to Robbie about it.

"The world has a lot of heroes. Iron Man. Captain America. Captain Marvel. I'd count the Wolverine too if he wasn't such an animal - don't show him this clip. But what sets Spider-Man apart from them is that he watches over all of us from up-close. You see the Avengers fighting a great evil on the top of a mountain, while Spider-Man is at the bottom fighting for those who can't defend themselves. Maybe that's why he chose to stay here in New York."

"You've written a lot of articles about Spider-Man for the past couple of years," said the interviewer. "What is it about him that fascinates you the most that you would volunteer to be the one who catches the scoop on him?"

"His heart," MJ answered. "Underneath that suit, it's a beating heart just like the beating hearts in all of us. He gives so much to this city not just to keep us safe but to remind us that the world will always need people like him who feel the need to do good no matter what. As long as it comes from within. Plus, he's saved me multiple times and making sure the city knows him as the hero that he is was the best repayment I can think of. It's like I have a superhero stalker, not that I'm complaining."

 **Peter Parker  
July 2019**

"I think Spider-Man is a figure of responsibility we can all look up to.," said Peter. I'm not saying we should be like him. I'm just saying we could all learn a thing or two from how he handles the responsibilities of his life. My uncle always lectured me about responsibility and I have not heeded his words well enough. But when I look at Spider-Man, I think I found an inspiration. He saves the city and does it by always thinking of what's important first. No matter what task, no matter how difficult or ridiculous, he'll do it. I mean, I have a friend named Howard and he said Spider-Man helped him recover his missing family of pigeons last year. He said Spider-Man didn't mind one bit. Gotta appreciate that."

"Wait, so those pigeons Spider-Man that Spider-Man chased last year, he was helping a friend of yours?" asked the interviewer.

"You didn't really believe Jameson about him eating those pigeons, did you?" Peter questioned.

"I don't, but I wondered why," said the interviewer.

 **Miles Morales  
July 2019**

F.E.A.S.T. was an after-school job for Miles, but he chose to make it his summer job. It truly felt rewarding to work in the homeless shelter, knowing that not only his mom is proud but also that dad would be. And it just so happens that the interviewer agreed to meet him here at the F.E.A.S.T. shelter for the interview.

"Not to sound like a fanboy, but how can you deny that what he does is for us?" Miles said. "I mean, how many people would have been hurt or killed if it hadn't been for him? Let's face it. New York ain't as friendly as the fruit it's named after. With guys like the Kingpin and Rhino around, someone needs to stand up for us. No offense to the pointy-eared guy in Hell's Kitchen, but Spider-Man keeps us safe because of what he does."

"Do you ever blame him for what happened at City Hall last year?" asked the interviewer.

"If I did, I'm no better than Jameson," said Miles. "My dad respected Spider-Man. He believed in him. Even though he wasn't a big fan of vigilantism, he mostly agree to what he does for this city. Whatever happened at City Hall is all Martin Li. Whoever Spider-Man is, he wouldn't have been so hellbent on taking down Li if he wanted what happened at City Hall to happen again. I've met him a few times myself and let me tell you... if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have learned to defend myself. I'd tell you about this one time I punched a Ryker's inmate in the face, but I'd be exaggerating. But I'm not exaggerating when I say Spidey gave me my first punching lessons."

 **Kid Arachnid  
July 2019**

Kid Arachnid agreed to meet with the interviewer on roof of F.E.A.S.T. for their interview. Remembering how he loused up at keeping his secret identity from his girlfriend Janice because of his voice, he tries to disguise it during the interview. He does this by trying to imitate Spider-Man's Spider-Cop voice, just to sound manly on camera.

"He's not just my hero. He's my brother. We're brothers-in-arms. Partners-in-crime... vigilantism being the only crime we commit together. I've worked with him long enough to know that he's the real deal," Kid Arachnid said in that embarrassingly husky voice. "Never doubt him, New York. Take it from me who was a fan like a lot of you. I only knew Spider-Man as a hero who does cool tricks and saves innocents. But he's more than that. He's a man on a mission. A mission to purify the core of the Big Apple."

"What's wrong with your voice?" asked the interviewer.

"Aw, man," Kid Arachnid complained, dropping the deep voice act.

 **Yuri Watanabe  
July 2019**

So much for disappearing. Yuri had to see her mother again at the worst time possible, when a Spider-Man fangirl wanted to ask her if she could help with her documentary. Yuri reluctantly agreed, on the condition that the interviewer doesn't tell Spider-Man that she's involved in this documentary. The interviewer promised. They meet up at an alleyway near her mother's apartment building.

"Nine years I've worked with him, I... I can't even describe him without going on all day," Yuri said. She sounded downhearted, though. "At first, I thought he was just some wannabe Avenger in a ridiculous hoodie. But he's grown since then. He's gone from reckless cadet to a not-so-reckless Boy in Red-and-Blue. Pardon the cop talk. It's a hard habit to break."

"How did he feel when you resigned from the force?" the interviewer asked.

"He was... let's just say his relationship with the police department isn't as lively without me on it," said Yuri.

"Do you miss working with him?" asked the interviewer.

"He doesn't need me to keep this city safe. As long as he doesn't destroy a bank or crash a helicopter, all of us, we're in safe hands," said Yuri.

 **J. Jonah Jameson  
July 2019**

"Spider-Man is a masked menace!"

Jameson was, at first, pleased that someone wanted to interview him about Spider-Man. This was because he could further emphasize all the points and arguments he has given in the past to enlighten New York about the red-and-blue-tights-wearing hero they worship. However, he soon learned that this interviewer is a Spider-Man fangirl herself. This interview was gonna be anything but pleasant for the interviewer.

"If that lunatic deserves a documentary, it should about me... a-a-a-and my followers... telling the world how wrong those fanboys and fangirls are about that spider-themed nutjob," said Jameson. "I mean, just look at his offenses. Destroying public property. Terrifying citizens with his careless stunts. A bajillion counts of interfering with police work. Covering our streets in his sticky webs. Unauthorized research stations..."

The interviewer shakes her head. Same goes for the camera.

* * *

"People often wonder, does Spidey have someone special in his life?" The interviewer narrated. "Well, while he doesn't say, but people all over the media can't stop theorizing about his relationship with some of the women in his life. Even a spider needs some love. He just seems to be dodging it like bullets. Is it because he's already taken? Or is he just not ready? Well, that hasn't stopped these lovely ladies from taking a liking for our Friendly Neighborhood Web-Slinger."

* * *

 **Black Cat  
July 2019**

How did the interviewer find Felicia Hardy, one may ask? Well, she's never gonna tell anyone how. What matters to her is that she got the Black Cat herself to help her with the documentary. Black Cat showed up in costume at their meeting place, which is inside a rusty apartment somewhere in Delaware. She doesn't live there. She just thought it would be safe. Also, the interviewer was forced to promise not to tell anyone that Black Cat is in Delaware.

"Oh, the wild times that the Spider and I had," Black Cat remembered dreamily. "You wouldn't know how good that man can make you feel until you really get close. That wit of his is like music to my ears. That mask is just as handsome as his handiwork. And his nobility, oh, it just makes a girl weak to her knees. Now, I'm sure you're gonna bring up how I betrayed him, stealing from the criminals he and I busted instead of just doing our job, but I can tell you that I would do it all over again just to relive old times."

"And you're not worried he might want to turn you in?" asked the interviewer. "He seems serious about it being over between you two."

"Oh, I don't doubt he's serious," said Black Cat. "But everyone changes their minds eventually. I'm not counting on it.

 **Yuri Watanabe  
July 2019**

"I'm not talking about this," Yuri said dismissively, trying to leave he interview. "No, I have had enough of these silly rumors. While I consider myself lucky to have his attention, I'm not looking for a relationship - don't show this to my mom."

"I'm just asking if he's ever shown interest. People have seen the way you two behave around each other at crime scenes. It's suspicious, if you really think about it," said the interviewer.

Yuri stops walking away and just stands there. She turns around once to give a simple response.

"I can't say for certain if he was interested. But he did give that impression," said Yuri. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get out of here. Don't follow me."

 **Silver Sable (or Silver Sablinova)  
July 2019**

The interviewer had a friend, a 24-year-old computer nerd named Ned Leeds - who managed to travel to Symkaria to ask the princess of the small nation herself for an interview. She wasn't interested... until Ned mentioned Spider-Man. She agreed despite the reluctance. She took the interview to the royal palace for privacy. She would rather keep her words unknown until the documentary is released.

"Spider-Man. He..." Silver paused dramatically. "He has done too much for me. Too much good. His conviction, his dedication, how he carries every responsibility on his back, I cannot even begin to explain how much I admire his pragmatism and his desire to aid those who do not even want his assistance. I never asked to be turned. I never asked to be persuaded to change my ways. But that is exactly what he did. All my life, I lived like a mercenary, prioritizing the mission above all else no matter what. The price I must pay for my past misdeeds, it's a high price. But I am more than willing to pay for it. He gave me the will to do so."

"So, Sable International are really the good guys now?" asked Ned.

Silver chuckled at the term _good guys_. "We still expect payment for our services, but we will not let money cloud our morality. Not again. The emotional reward for doing what is right instead of what you want, Spider-Man helped me feel it."

"He's really grown on you, hasn't he?" asked Ned.

"I know what you are implying, Mr. Leeds," said Silver.

"The world is curious, you know," said Ned. "I mean, you and Spider-Man are a big deal online. Everyone's talking about you. Don't you have anything to say? Like, what do you really feel about him? Is it something... something extra?"

Silver keeps her mouth closed as she walks towards the window to stare at the bright sky outside. Ned kept the camera on her in a rather irritating way, but she kept her composure.

"Uh, should have I not asked that, Your Highness?" Ned asked nervously.

"My actions make things clearer than my words," said Silver.

"You kissed Spider-Man. On camera. For all the world to see. Hundreds and thousands of people are shipping you guys," said Ned. "Can you at least tell us how you feel about these?"

Silver ignores Ned and points him to the door, silently asking him to leave as she walks away from him.

 **Mary Jane Watson  
July 2019**

"What about you, Ms. Watson? Would you be interested in being a Spider-Girlfriend?" The interviewer asked the Bugle's associate editor.

MJ giggled while trying not to look obvious. "Every girl would kill to be a Spider-Girlfriend. But it's really up to him. Maybe the reason he's unsure about love is because he hasn't found the right one. He likes to flirt, sure, but maybe he actually wants a serious relationship. Someone to share everything with, including his life. Someone who could understand him, all of him. All the girls in this city can chase after him, but I guess he wants to let his heart tell him who's the right one and when he's ready."

"Sounds like you know him more than just your constant rescuer," said the interviewer.

"We do interviews, of course. He likes to share bits of his humor and personality no matter what type of conversation it is," said MJ.

 **Spider-Man  
July 2019**

"Do not show this part to anyone, please," Spider-Man begged.

* * *

 **J. Jonah Jameson  
July 2019**

"... possession illegal and dangerous weapons. Hiding the existence of Devil's Breath from us. Pigeon-napping. Starting a Twitter account with a false identity. Trashing places and items of value to this city..."

"Isn't that just another phrase for destruction of _public property_?" The interviewer asked sarcastically, annoyed.

"That's because it's one of his biggest - if not the biggest - crimes on his rap sheet," said Jameson. "If it were up to me, I'd lock him up in the Raft and throw away the key. This city deserves better protection that that ego-maniacal maniac..."

"Try looking in the mirror," the interviewer muttered.

"If I have ego, ma'am, it's an ego that exists for the welfare of this city," said Jameson. "I mean, let me bring up one of my greatest points about Spider-Man. As soon as he put on those red and blue pajamas of his, the criminals he fights have adapted and now this city is full of costumed psychopaths. The world has had enough super-powered threats to rival the likes of the Avengers, but having this many armored-up, scienced-up hooligans in one city is too much. Who do you have to blame? Spider-Man, that's who."

"Didn't you help create Scorpion?" The interviewer asked.

"I... well... he was... I only..." Jameson stuttered. "It-it was all in good intention on my part. It was that money-hungry scientist who was careless. It was Gargan who chose to go insane and kill people. I wasn't the only one who funded that experiment, you know. I was... oh, hang on a minute. Jared, where have you been? You're twenty minutes late."

Jared had just arrived. As Jameson said, he was late. Just as he was about to explain himself...

"I don't want to hear it," said Jameson. "You were supposed to buy my pills. Where are they?"

Jared facepalmed. He forgot.

"First, you show up late for work. And now you tell me you forgot to buy my medication. You think that's my wife's job? It's your job, too! My doctor recommends I take my medication here at work!" Jameson shouted. "NOW, GET OUT OF MY OFFICE AND GET MY MEDS OR YOU'RE FIRED! Better yet, FIRE YOURSELF AND DON'T COME BACK UNTIL YOU GET RID OF THAT RIDICULOUS HAWAIIAN-LOOKING SHIRT. But if you think I'll let you rehire yourself again, THINK AGAIN! NOW, GET OUT OF HERE, JARED!"

After Jared left, Jameson turned his attention back to the camera.

"Poor Jared," the interviewer said with pity.

"He's young. He needs to learn how business works, kid," said Jameson.

"So, you're saying that if you're in charge, you'd have Spidey arrested and locked away for life?" The interview asked. "You planning on running for mayor, JJ?"

"I've thought about it after Norman Osborn's resignation, but Mayor Sarkissian is doing too good of a job for me to intervene," said Jameson. "I'm a good judge of character and I say our city is safe in her hands. She's upped the punishment on crimes and controlled the police force's limitations effectively. Now, if only she could put out an arrest warrant on Spider-Man, then I'll buy her a mug that says _Best Mayor Ever_ for her birthday."

"I think we're done here," said the interviewer, seeking to leave immediately.

"But you haven't gotten to the best part of the interview," said Jameson. He holds up a copy of his book in front of the camera and says, "Spider Man: Threat or Menace? This documentary will make this a bestseller, and that'll be a good thing because the people need exceptionally thorough insight on who Spider-Man is."

The interviewer facepalmed. _Why did I even think about going to this man_ , she thought regretfully.

* * *

"People like Jameson will always find a way to bring Spider-Man down, but that has never stopped him," the interviewer narrated. "Almost a decade of reading and listening to the criticism of his haters and he's still swinging around saving lives. And the best part is that the people really appreciate it. Go online and you'll find millions of people posting videos and saying things to spread love on Spider-Man. He may not care about the fame as much as Jameson would have us believe, but our support for him strengthens him. He would put on that suit and mask even without our support, but we stand by him because we believe him."

 **May Parker  
October 2018**

A few weeks before the death of May Parker, the author of the Spider-Man documentary came to her at the F.E.A.S.T. shelter to get her input on Spider-Man. The elderly woman was definitely pro-Spider-Man and her reasons for being on that side were inspirational to hear.

"Spider-Man gives so much without expecting anything in return. Now, that's more than just being a hero. It shows that he's human, like the rest of us," said May.

"Let me guess. We fanboys and fangirls never take the time to imagine what it's like for the guy under the mask, how hard it is for him to carry himself like this every day, right? I know we crazy fans can be ignorant, but not all of us," said the interviewer. "But you do approve of what he does, don't you?"

"How can I disapprove? The more people he saves, the more people he inspires to do the same to others. The city is a safer and better place because of his selfless deeds," said May. "As I say to everyone, when you help someone, you help everyone. If he was my own son, I'd be very proud of him."

The interviewer didn't notice, but May had that smile on her face the indicates she knows something about Spider-Man that she's not telling.

 **Lonnie Lincoln (a.k.a. Tombstone)  
May 2019**

As if managing to reach out to Black Cat and Silver Sable for an interview wasn't impossible enough, the documentary's author managed to book an interview with one of the inmates from The Raft. A long-time enemy of Spider-Man's. Lonnie Lincoln, a.k.a. Tombstone. The interview took place in the interrogation. Tombstone is cuffed to a table and a guard is watching over him.

"So, Mr. Lincoln, I heard somewhere that you and Spider-Man treat each other as more of friendly rivals than arch-enemies," said the interviewer.

"I respect the hell out of him, that's for sure," Tombstone admitted. "He always gives me a good challenge. When was I was indestructible, there was no one who could give me a real fight but him. Despite all I've done, he still tried to redeem me."

"Everyone knows he suggests that to all the criminals," said the interviewer. "What did he suggest to you?"

"Running a soup kitchen, that's what he said," Tombstone answered. "If it pays well, I'll consider it. But for now, I'm just getting started here. The prison's kitchen staff just hired me as a cook. All I did was make some changes to their soup. The chef loves it. The convicts love it. Hell, even the guards love it."

"Is it okay if I ask for some soup?" The interview asked curiously.

"No problem," said Tombstone. He turns to the guard and says, "Hey, mind if I fix up soup for the lovely lady?"

"Just don't try anything funny," said the guard.

 **Scott Lang (a.k.a. Ant-Man)  
** **April 2019**

Another unbelievable thing that this documentary author got to do to assist her project is to ask the help of an Avenger. Scott Lang, the second Ant-Man. A convicted felon turned superhero. They had their interview in Scott's car. He wore the suit while driving, which was weird but admirable. Maybe he just wanted to look good for the camera.

"That guy is awesome," said Scott. "He kinda reminds me of me, minus the wrong reasons for committing crimes. He commits crimes for the right reasons. I stole money for bad people who threatened my daughter while he beats up thugs to save victims. You get the point. But other than that, it's really easy to relate to that guy. There are always going to be doubters that will hold you back, but you can't let that stop you. A lot of people still think I'm nothing but a crook. I wear this suit to prove them wrong, but also to do the right thing. Same goes for Spidey."

"Sounds like you two really bonded during that Kree invasion," said the interviewer.

"Oh, definitely. He calls me Scotty. I don't like it when he does it, since it's a trademarked nickname, but I let it slide once in a while," said Scott. "But the point is, he's who we all have to aspire to be. We do good things for good reason. Selfless reasons. Just to make yourself feel better about yourself. I may have been wandering in the underworld long before he put on those tights, but I like to think I'm looking up to him. It's weird, since I'm the more experienced one. But hey, Spidey is Spidey because he has to be Spidey. Big things come from small packages, and that includes just looking out for the _little_ guy. See what I did there? Little."

 **Norman Osborn  
April 2019**

"Security, get this woman out of here!" Norman shouted. "Sorry, miss, but no interviews, especially any about that costumed daredevil."

"If it weren't for him, those research stations of yours wouldn't be helping the environment and you wouldn't be making more money," the interviewer argued. "Why hasn't Oscorp done something to stop him from going into these stations? Is Spider-Man working for Oscorp?"

"Get her out of here!" Norman shouted.

The interviewer is kicked out Oscorp by security. _Rude_ , she thought.

* * *

 **Spider-Man  
July 2019**

Things got pretty messy with Spider-Man's interview. A truck full of Demons were in a shootout with the police a few streets away from Avengers Tower. The police are losing. So, Spider-Man swings there to stop the Demons. The interviewer, eager action shots, follows him to where the fighting is. By the time she got there, Spider-Man was already half-done. Four of the nine Demons in the area are either unconscious or webbed to a wall or car. The interviewer hid behind a car as she filmed the whole thing.

"Spider-Man vs. Demons. This should be a cake walk for our Friendly Neighborhood Boy in Red and Blue," the interviewer narrated.

"Hey, miss, get out of here!" An officer shouted.

While the interviewer ignores the police, Spider-Man takes care of the five remaining Demons. Two gunmen, one swordsman, and two axe wielders. After dodging a series of Demon-powered bullets, Spider-Man leaps high. While upside-down in the air, he fires two web lines at the two Demon gunmen. He pulls hard on each line, smashing the two Demons against each other.

"Awesome!" The interviewer cheered quietly.

Demon #7 slams his axe on the road, but Spider-Man dodges the axe's energy wave. He web-snatches Demon #7's axe away and web-throws it at Demon #8. Spider-Man knocks out Demon #8 with a Web Strike kick to the mask. Demon #7 tries to attack from behind, but Spider-Man simply web-snatches his mask off his face. Using his webs, he sticks the mask back on Demon #7's face, only upside down.

"That Demon's in a sticky situation," the interviewer commented.

While Demon #7 is occupied with his mask, Demon #9 attacks with his Demon-powered sword. Spider-Man dodges the sword swings with graceful flips. He manages to sneak in a high kick to the side of the Demon's face. The Demon does a mid-air spin and slams the sword on the road, unleashing a wave of negative energy. Spider-Man jumps out of the way and fires an Electric Web shot, electrocuting Demon #9. Spider-Man webs Demon #9's sword away, trips him with a high kick that leads to an acrobatic leap, and gracefully slams his face to the pavement with a simple hand to the back of the head.

"Oh, my God! Watching it up-close is so amazing," the interviewer geeked out.

Unfortunately, there was a tenth Demon, hiding in an alleyway. He aims his gun at the interviewer and pulls the trigger. By the time the interviewer saw Demon #10, Spider-Man web-zipped in the way and took the shot to the chest instead. Spider-Man is hurt pretty bad, while the Demon forces the police to duck by opening fire. Suddenly, an outstretch arm smacks his legs and he lands on his back. That hand belonged to the interviewer, who shaped her arm back to normal size just as Spider-Man came to.

Demon #10 reaches for his gun again, but Spider-Man fires a Trip Mine at him. It sticks the Demon to the nearest tree.

"You saved my life," the interviewer said, smiling at Spider-Man.

"You shouldn't have been here," said Spider-Man.

"Maybe, but I got action shots for the documentary," said the interviewer. "Are you, uh, you okay?"

Spider-Man just shook his head.

Later, the two returned to the roof of the building just next to the Avengers Tower. Spider-Man and the author of his documentary continue the interview. He needed time to calm down after the embarrassing conversation earlier. The interviewer bringing up his love life was really not helping him go along with this documentary idea. She kept her mouth shut and kept the camera on Spidey as she waited for him to speak. He just stared at Avengers Tower, thinking. He perched on the edge of the rooftop, feeling that it's a more comfortable position given his current mood.

"When you told me that we were doing this because you wanted the people to know more about me, it had me thinking," said Spider-Man. "I mean, I like it that most of this city appreciate what I do, but sometimes people forget I'm just like them. An average everyday New Yorker. I eat, sleep, and watch ball games like one. I never wanted to be viewed as just a hero."

"Then say something," said the interviewer.

"Like what?" asked Spider-Man.

"For one thing, if this isn't too sensitive, how do you really feel about doing all this? You keep sounding like you have regrets about this job," said the interviewer.

"Plenty, yeah," Spider-Man confirmed. "But that's only because being a superhero isn't all it's cracked up to be. Every day, you go out there and risk your life just so other people can live peaceful lives. To sacrifice so much blood and sweat while making sure you don't lose too much of both. I know I sound like one of those jokey superheroes on TV, but I know when to drop the funny guy act. This superhero stuff, it's not a game. It's never been a game. It's a responsibility, and I have to use the power I have to hold up to all that responsibility."

"You really like to use the words power and responsibility in the same sentences," the interview noticed.

"Well, there was this one guest on Just the Facts with Triple J that said something we could all use as inspiration," said Spider-Man. "With great power, comes great responsibility. No matter what power we have, be it a super power or a job position, we have to take it seriously. We can't just take it for granted. Believe me, I've made that mistake before I even started all this."

"But you still continue to save us. Why?" asked the interviewer. "I mean, what about your protege Kid Arachnid? Do you ever think of passing down the mantle of Spider-Man to him while you build a life for yourself?"

"I can't just leave him with all that responsibility, especially given how green he still is," said Spider-Man. "No, I have a duty to this city that I have to attend to every day, even if I don't have to. I do it because no one wants to live in fear and pain."

"You inspire a lot of people, you know," said the interviewer. "Mary Jane Watson. Silver Sable. Commissioner Watanabe. Black Cat, to an extent. And, of course, your sidekick. But it worries you."

"It shouldn't, though," said Spider-Man. "I mean, I can't make their choices for them. They are who they are because they want to be who they are now. The best I can do is help."

"As the late May Parker once said, when you help someone, you help everyone," said the interviewer.

"She was one of the best people in this city," said Spider-Man. "I follow a lot of examples. Even I need role models. The Avengers are awesome, but I need more than just learning how to fight crime and save lives. It's all about what I meant to the people who sit in their living rooms with their families and think about their present and future."

The interviewer stops recording and asks, "Should we end the interview? If it's too much, we can stop."

"We can stop, but not here," said Spider-Man. "If you still want more for your documentary, here's my number."

Spider-Man gives the interviewer his number. His Spider-Man number, of course. If he gave her the number for Peter Parker's number, she'll find out. Having two separate lines can be a pain sometimes.

"This job really is that difficult isn't it?" Kamala asked sympathetically.

"I'm sorry if this isn't what you hoped for," said Spider-Man. "I can be a fun guy if I want to, but... you have no idea how much I've went through in nine years."

"And I thought this documentary could help," Kamala said sadly. "Maybe I should rethink my life choices... like cancel my Spidey FanFic career. Sorry. Shouldn't have mentioned that."

"To be honest, I'm starting to think this is a good idea," said Spider-Man. "I mean, people don't know I am. But I just can't take this mask off. Not yet. I'm not ready for the public life life that the Avengers are accustomed to. The best I can do is show as much of my true self as I can."

"You can count of me, Spidey," said the interviewer.

"By the way, you never told me your name," said Spider-Man.

"Kamala. Kamala Khan," said the interviewer.

Kamala's phone beeped. She got an online message from her friend Ned about the interview with Silver Sable in Symkaria. They can't call or text each other, but thank goodness for the internet as another means of long-distance communications.

"Say, Spidey, what do you think of this for the name of your documentary?" Kamala asked as she gave him her suggestion. "Spider-Man: One Web To Bring Us Together."

"Not bad," Spider-Man replied honestly.

"See you around, Spidey," said Kamala.

"See you 'round, Ms. Khan," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man jumps off the roof and swings away, performing a few air tricks on the way. He probably did them because he knew she would still be watching. Nothing bad about showing off, right? A few flips and spins in the air that normal people dream of doing never fail to impress.

"So cool," Kamala smiled.

 **Yup, that's yet another big name in the comics introduced here. Kamala Khan, a.k.a. the hero known as Ms. Marvel. Granted, I had no reason to keep her identity a secret 'til the end and maybe I could've spared myself from using the term "interviewer" all the time, but I chose to do it this way. And yes, I just confirmed that the alien invasion that Spider-Man helped the Avengers with wearing the Iron Spider** **in this story universe** **is the Kree. With the Captain Marvel movie coming (so excited, by the way), I thought I'd ride along the hype train. And maybe I'll introduce my own version of Captain Marvel in one chapter one day. I've always preferred her over Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel.**

 **Please, leave a review and let me know what you think about this chapter. Give me your full, honest opinion. Like, what're your favorite parts and stuff? I'll appreciate it a lot. (But, please, no requests)**

 **Notes:**

 **\- Yes, I referenced Daredevil and Wolverine here, as well as included Scott Lang/Ant-Man, but don't be so excited. Sometimes, I make references for the sake of references. I've teased enough future plots already (read the first paragraph on the top of the page to be reminded of those future plots).**

 **\- Kamala Khan being a fanfic writer, well, it's a reference to the video game, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2. Kamala Khan there is such a huge fangirl and mentions her fanfic a lot (it made me a little uncomfortable being a FanFic writer myself). I guess you can say I'm using LEGO MSH2 as a reference for this story's version of Kamala Khan, except maybe a little more mature.**


	27. Future Meets Past (AU)

**Remember the Spider-Man Noir AU chapter? Well, I've been thinking about a Spider-Man 2099 AU chapter. So, here it is. Now, remember, just like the Noir chapter, this is a completely AU chapter that has no connection with the rest of the story (The Noir chapter had an "AU" on the title, as does this chapter). Comic accuracy is NEVER a certainty with me, but I hope you can still enjoy this. I wanted to get this 2099 AU thing out of the way before I end up forgetting.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **(No requests, though, please)**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for the most recent reviews: josephguy217, gammaxmen80, TheMediator052, Artemis Fowl IX, Redwall, STAR LORD, CG,**

 **SPECIAL THANKS to Spideysquad and Bismarck Alexander, and Heinkelboy05** **. Each of your comments on the documentary truly made me feel that it was a good idea.**

 ** _To crawforddarius7_: Spider-Man 2099 is all I'll be giving you, I'm afraid.**

 ** _To mastergamer14_: Yes, it's asking too much. Besides, I was never really a fan of the Spider-Island story.**

 ** _To gammaxmen80_: I told one guest reviewer that I most likely won't be introducing the FF (or F4). I'll be using Doom, though. I'm sorry if this answer disappoints you.**

 ** _To Guest_: 'Cuz I didn't want a no-name interviewer, I guess.**

 ** _To Artemis Fowl IX (Chapter 4 review)_: Believe me, I had the same issue when it was revealed MJ would be Peter's love interest in the PS4 game. "Most common love interest". But the Spidey-PS4verse's version of Pete and MJ's love story just wowed me so much that I couldn't ignore it.**

 ** _To XFangHeartX_: No, I'm not. I'm keeping the story focused on the dynamic between the Main Six (Peter, MJ, Miles, Yuri, Felicia, and Silver). Besides, I love it this way.**

 ** _To CG and God Awful_: Yes, yes it was.**

 _"When the people of the early 21st Century think about the distant future, they think of flying cars. Well, while that did come to pass here in 2099, I'm afraid it's not as bright as you would expect it. For one thing, the criminal element have adapted to the times, as they have always. As if bad guys with super advanced technology wasn't bad enough, someone of a very high position plans to use late 21st Century technology to change the course of time. That's right. Time travel. It's no longer science fiction where I'm from. Alcehmax CEO, Walker Sloan, is planning to send a machine codenamed Flipside to the year 2018, to the time of Peter Parker, the very first Spider-Man. It will take the Spider-Man of today to save time from being destroyed. And who am I?"_

Standing on top of a brightly-lit building overlooking the Alchemax tower is a man in a suit resembling that of Spider-Man. It's primarily blue with a futuristic glow (or in these times, just a shiny _glow_ ), a sleek red spider as the symbol with its legs stretching to his arms, and two protective red spikes on each of his arms.

 _"I'm Miguel O'Hara. I am Spider-Man."_

Miguel starts swinging towards Alchemax. Unfortunately, it wasn't gonna be smooth swinging all the way. As usual, the Public Eye are on his tail. The Public Eye are a police force funded by Alchemax. Spider-Man has been their number one target for years, despite that fact that Spider-Man has been a mostly well-received figure in the eyes of the public. They're chasing him in flying Public Eye vehicles.

"I do not have time for this," Miguel said, annoyed.

"Stand down, Spider-Man!" A Private Eye soldier said through the PA system. "You have ten seconds."

"Sorry, but I got a meeting with your number one funder," said Miguel.

Miguel shoots special EMP Webs at the Public Eye's flying vehicles, shorting them out. An ordinary EMP wouldn't be able to take them out, so he had to upgrade his original EMP webs. Futuristic technology and all, just making something that is anti-EMP vulnerable to EMP. No big deal, that's how it goes here, whether it makes sense or not.

"Shoot him!" One Public Eye agent shouted.

One agent managed to get his gun out, in spite of the vehicle falling down, and fires laser blasts. Miguel dodges the blast with some mid-air spinning. Before he gets back to swinging, he fires multiple webs shots to web the vehicles to the side of buildings. Killing Public Eye officers would look bad for his image, after all. As soon as they were taken care of, he continues his swing to Alchemax.

Sneaking in through the ventilation system, Miguel begins his search for Sloan. Good thing he works here in Alchemax. He's mapped out the entire building, including the ventilation system. He's been aware of Alchemax's shady reputation so he thought he'd keep an eye on the entire place just in case. So far, a few corrupt employees and some careless scientists. Nothing he couldn't take care of, but he couldn't find evidence to link them to Sloan. Well, today is the day. The day Sloan goes down along with his dastardly plans.

Miguel exited the vent and landed in a room just outside Sloan's private lab.

"Kiss your money goodbye, Sloan," Miguel said determinedly.

On the other side of the lab door, Sloan was operating some kind of portal with a business partner of his. Serena Patel, a.k.a. 2099's Doctor Octopus. She is dressed in metallic body armor with six plasma-coated tentacles sticking out of the back. She had tangled with Spider-Man many times before, but he doesn't know that she is the head of Alchemax's Shadow Division. A secret division in Alchemax that only Sloan knows. It's where he asks her to test his weapons and time travel technology. They have been preparing for this day for a long time, after all.

"After decades of taxing procedures and manipulating chrono-quantum energy, it's finally time," Sloan basked.

"And yet, you're using it to send one robot against a relic from the past," Serena judged.

"This is bigger than just one man, Ms. Patel," said Sloan. "Spider-Man has been an unsolved scientific equation for an entire century. If we can get the secret behind this genetic marvel, the wannabe Spider-Man will be nothing more than a speck compared to the army we are building."

"Oh, now I'm insulted."

That sarcastic but angry tone came from Miguel, who came bursting in through the reinforced door using his special webs.

"Lady Octopus," Miguel greeted.

"Again with the mockery, Spider-Man?" Serena complained. She hates that nickname.

"So, you've been working with Sloan this whole time? I always thought you got your shockin' tentacles on Alchemax tech so easily," said Miguel.

"Ms. Patel, prove to me that our partnership was worth the money," Sloan ordered.

While Sloan activates the Flipside android, Serena faces Miguel once again. Miguel pounces at Serena and dodges her first tentacle swipe, but he didn't react fast enough to dodge the second swipe, which knocked him across the room. Serena charges her tentacles with more power and blasts lasers at Miguel. He flips around and around to dodge the lasers. It's not easy with two beams coming at him simultaneously, but that's what the spider powers are for. He keeps flipping around and around until the lasers hit the generators connected to the portal.

"No!" Sloan and Patel screamed.

"Oh, sorry, was that important?" Miguel joked in a very serious tone.

"Flipside, destroy him," Sloan commanded. "Perhaps you would not need to travel to the past after all."

Miguel decides not to wait for Flipside to attack. He jumps high and fires a web shot at the android. The android uses an energy shield to block the attack. It then fires a web shot of his own from his hand, wrapping Miguel in it in an instant. It's like Impact Web, but improved. For one thing, Miguel is struggling to break free of it even with his super strength.

"Sloan, the portal!" Serena shouted.

The time portal was becoming unstable due to the severely damaged generators. Serena tried to fix them herself, but it was too late. There's too much damage and too little time to make repairs. The portal keeps shorting out and raining energy into the room like lightning. Miguel managed to jump out of the way of one shock bolt. He still got hit, but it cut him free of the webs at least..

"Sloan, you idiot!" Miguel said angrily. "Messing with time, you're just begging to rip the universe apart."

"This could've been over had you shared the secrets of your genetic miracle, Spider-Man. This could've all been avoided," said Sloan.

"My genetics? To create an army of spider-powered soldiers? You're insane," Miguel insulted.

"Boys!" Serena interrupted.

The portal is becoming more and more unstable. Serena and Sloan manage to escape the room, but Miguel and Flipside were occupied fighting each other. The portal explodes, capturing the two of them in the blast. When the bright light ceased, Sloan and Serena return to find that the superhero and the android are gone.

"Where did they go?" Serena wondered.

"The proper question is... when," Sloan corrected.

* * *

 ** _Manhattan, 2018_**

Silver Sable had just left F.E.A.S.T. after seeing Mary Jane Watson come in to see the injured Spider-Man. She needed time to think after everything that just happened tonight. With Li and Osborn and Octavius and Spider-Man and the Devil's Breath epidemic... it's all too much. She needed to get out of this city before it drives her insane. In fact, that's what she's planning to do right now. Get away from all this and take all the time she needs to think about how Spider-Man's influence has affected her tonight.

She contacts one of Sable International's captains through her comm-link. "We need to move out right..."

Silver stopped when she saw a strange light in the sky. And from this light, a person fell down hard on the road. He looked like Spider-Man, but he was wearing a blue suit with a red spider symbol. The suit glowed as if the suit was made of shining armor, but it's not.

"Sloan, you son of a..." Miguel stopped and grunted. He pulled a muscle trying to stand up.

"Are you alright?" Silver asked as she helped the stranger.

"I... ack... will be," Miguel grunted. "Just as soon as I can get my hands on that jacka..."

Miguel stopped himself when he saw the face of the person who helped him back on his feet. Silver hair. Silver getup. So much silver, you could swear that she has a bit of silver in those icy blue eyes of hers.

"Wait, what year is this?" Miguel asked.

"I do not understand," said Silver.

"Just answer the question," Miguel insisted.

"2018," Silver answered.

"Wait, it wouldn't happen to be in the middle of November, would it?" asked Miguel.

"It is," Silver replied, despite feeling confused.

"Devil's Breath," Miguel guessed. "Ah, shock!"

"You need medical attention," said Silver. "The F.E.A.S.T. shelter is nearby. I can..."

"Wait, Spider-Man is not in there, is he?" asked Miguel.

"He is," Silver confirmed. "Why?"

"Flipside," Miguel muttered. "He was caught in the explosion. He's gotta be here. Shock!"

Miguel swings away and heads to the F.E.A.S.T. shelter. Silver was confused, but she followed him. If this involved Spider-Man, then she could not leave this alone. She wanted to leave, but maybe she could do him one more favor. Plus, she was curious about this new Spider-Man.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

When Miguel showed up at F.E.A.S.T., it is as he feared. Flipside had been transported here to the past just like him. He's trashing the place, scaring the sick out of the shelter. Miguel helped a few sick folks on their knees back on their feet before heading inside. Spider-Man was out of bed, looking very weak. He wasted no time engaging Flipside in battle.

"Hey, copy-bot!" Spider-Man called.

Spider-Man limps towards the android. The android just stood there.

"This android was designed to defeat someone as powerful as Spider-Man," Miguel remembered. "I'm not just gonna stand back and wait to see what it can do."

Spider-Man throws the first punch. His hand hurt a little due to Flipside's metal head. Flipside throws a punch of its own, sending Spider-Man flying across the room and crashing to a wall. Spider-Man, despite his aching body, gets back up and fires an Electric Web shot. Flipside blocks the shot with its shield before firing an Electric Web of his own at Spider-Man, shocking him. Flipside's Electric Web, however, appeared to be deadlier.

"No!" MJ cried. She's still here, along with Miles.

"He's copying our gadgets," Miguel observed.

Miguel fires a web line at the ceiling and swing-kicks Flipside away from Spider-Man. While Flipside is down, Miguel sees to Spider-Man, who was being helped by MJ and Miles. Spider-Man was hurt bad enough from the beating Octavius gave him. A metal-hard punch and electricity in his system were making him feel even worse.

"Who are you?" Miles asked the blue-suited stranger.

"That's not important," said Miguel. "We need to get Spider-Man out of here."

"What is that thing?" MJ asked, referring to the android.

"No time," said Miguel.

Suddenly, Silver Sable comes flying in through a window. She's fine, but she's a little hurt. It was Flipside who threw her in. Apparently, fighting the android in hand-to-hand combat is a bad idea. Silver draws her guns and fires at Flipside, but the android's shields were too powerful.

"No time to explain. Get him out of here, now!" Miguel ordered. "Take him to Octavius Industries."

MJ and Miles help Peter to the roof while Miguel stays behind to help Silver with Flipside. Miguel swings his way towards Flipside for a big punch, only for the android's shields to knock him back. Silver throws a little disk at Flipside, tying it up in electric bolas. Silver manages to get some good shots at the android, but her pistol's energy blasts were barely doing anything to it. Miguel decides to test if his EMP webs work. He fires it and...

It works.

Flipside shorts out and shuts down. The metallic entity, still tied up in Sable's bolas, falls down like a tree. If only someone with a sense of humor was here to say, _timber_.

"Impressive," Silver said, impressed.

Unfortunately, Flipside looked like he was starting back up, if slowly. But still, he wasn't gonna stay off for long, which is not good news for anyone. Miguel tried using another EMP web, but the android appeared to be adapting to it. Its reboot function has been delayed, but only for long.

"That's impossible. These EMPs were designed to last for hours," said Miguel. "Sloan really thinks of everything doesn't he?"

"If it's hunting for Spider-Man, we cannot leave it here," said Silver.

"Take it as far away from here as you can before it wakes up completely. Then blow it up for all I care, although I doubt an RPG can destroy it," said Miguel.

"Then moving it out of Manhattan is all we can do," Silver guessed.

* * *

Peter swings all the way to Octavius Industries to think about what he can do against Octavius. He has Osborn and he'll do who knows what to him. Until anyone can find him, all Peter can do is come up with a plan. MJ had just reminded him that he - Peter Parker, not Spider-Man - helped Otto build those mechanical arms. So, using up whatever material that made Otto's arms is left, he starts creating a new suit to combat those metal tentacles.

He had to stop when he sensed someone come in. He quickly put his mask back on as the door to the lab opened. It was the blue-suited Spider-Man.

"You really showed up at a bad time, buddy," said Spider-Man.

"Believe me, I had no choice," said Miguel.

"Who are you even?" asked Spider-Man. "Another copycat?"

"You can say that, except I have what every copycat doesn't. Actual powers and understanding of your gadgets," said Miguel.

"Well, I got problems to deal with right now," said Spider-Man. "So just finish your play date with Mr. Robot-o and let me get back to saving the city."

"I'm trying to save you and my future, Parker," said Miguel.

"How-How do you my name?" asked Spider-Man.

Miguel takes off his mask and says, "My name is Miguel O'Hara. I am Spider-Man from the year 2099. You've watched time travel movies, haven't you? Well, that's how I'm here. Where I'm from, a corporate scumbag named Walker Sloan wants to create his own army of Spider-Man to sell for profit. To do that, he needs info on my genetics. Your genetics. Our genetics. I wouldn't give it to him, so he built a time machine and sent that android to take you to 2099 for DNA replication."

"Okay, that's-tha-that's a lot to take in," Peter said as he took off his mask.

"I tried to stop it, but there was an accident. The time machine sent both me and the android here," Miguel continued. "And without a way back to 2099, we're both stuck here, which means you're still in danger. Sable can only hold it off for long before it comes back. Knowing Sloan, he's built that thing to take on an entire army. That's not gonna stop her, though."

"So, Sable likes me, huh? I should be flattered, but... okay, I suppose I am," said Peter. "So, the future, huh?"

"You live until you're 100. There's your first spoiler," Miguel said sarcastically.

"You're just messing with me, aren't you?" Peter replied.

"Depends. Come fine me in 2071, if you can live that long," Miguel replied sarcastically.

"That's a cool suit, though," said Peter. "Definitely has a futuristic vibe to it. I mean, futuristic from here, that is."

"So, you believe me now?" asked Miguel.

"I don't exactly have a lot of reasons to not believe you," said Peter. "A futuristic-looking robot. A shiny Spidey suit that looks like it's made of rubber, cloth, and some liquefied material, although that could just be the glowing. And you gave me way too specific a year for it to be a lie. 2099? I mean, why not just tell me you were from 2100?"

"You live in a universe where the extraterrestrial exist and are armed with technology beyond human imagination. Time travel ain't exactly far-fetched," said Miguel.

"Yeah, well, you got a point there," Peter agreed. "Wait, if you're from the future and you know who I am, does that mean..."

"No, your identity remained secret for all this time," said Miguel.

"But how come you know?" asked Peter.

"That's not important," said Miguel. "What's important is that I'm trapped here in 2018 trying to protect you from some psychotic android. And even if we stop Flipside permanently, I can't go home."

"Flipside? That's cute," Peter joked, not very fond of the android's name.

"Tell that to Sloan. He picked the name," said Miguel.

"Well, while you're here, maybe you can help me," said Peter. "You've heard of Otto Octavius, right? You from the future and you follow my career so, I guess you do. He's got Norman Osborn. He's gonna kill him or something. I have to stop Otto and save him."

Peter gets back to making his new suit.

"If only you knew who Osborn really is," Miguel muttered to himself.

Miguel watches as his hero and idol fixes up his new suit. He's seen the suit in the future, but to witness its creation was something else. Miguel didn't want to interfere, but he asked him to help. It's not technically interfering if it means just making sure the timeline stays the same. Spider-Man will still stop Doctor Octopus tonight. Miguel will just be helping with that. Plus, teaming up with the original Spider-Man. If he wasn't such a serious person, the fanboy on his face would be a lot more visible. He just played it cool for now.

"Sure, I'll help," Miguel agreed. "I mean, you can handle him yourself, but since you're asking, okay."

"Doesn't it feel great?" asked Peter. "The old and new, teaming up."

"You have no idea," said Miguel.

"I just wish we could've met under different circumstances," said Peter. "The city's dying. My Aunt May is... I should be excited about this, but it's just not the right time."

"Understandable," said Miguel. "But, hey, if I'm stuck here for a while afterwards, maybe then we can have some buddy-buddy time."

"You don't have a lot of friends, don't you?" Peter guessed.

"What gave you that impression?" Miguel replied.

"Why so serious then?" Peter asked.

"Ha-ha. Very funny," Miguel responded, unamused.

Soon enough, Peter was finished his new suit. It was surprising how quickly he put it together. He wears over his Advanced Suit. It's a black metallic suit with glowing yellow eyes and a glowing yellow spider symbol. The most fanboy-ish face he can get out Miguel is an approving smile. Miguel puts his own mask back on just as Peter got a report on his phone that Doctor Octopus has taken Norman Osborn to Oscorp.

"Wait," Peter called. "If you're from the future, then... Aunt May. Does she make it?"

"She won't if you stay here and ask questions," said Miguel.

Miguel couldn't tell him. He just couldn't. He needed to focus on stopping Otto. If Miguel told him the truth, he would be destroyed on the inside. And even if he wanted to tell him, now is not the time. _If_ , being the key word.

* * *

Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099 swing towards Oscorp to save Norman from Doctor Octopus. Despite the serious situation, the two couldn't help but show off some tricks to each other. Spider-Man did his back-flips and 360s. Miguel showed off his suit's "Low Gravity" function, which allowed Miguel to defy gravity. He just glided in the air for a long time until he boosted himself forward with a web line. Peter's just jealous (he wishes he can make a suit that can defy gravity).

" _Spider-Man, do you read?" Silver Sable called._

"Man, I gotta change this number," Spider-Man complained.

 _"The android that attacked the F.E.A.S.T. shelter, it escaped. It rebooted quicker than expected and killed five of my men," Silver reported._

"And it's my fault, isn't it?" Spider-Man asked sarcastically.

 _"I am not blaming you," said Silver. "I simply called to tell you to watch your back. It could attack you at any minute."_

"Careful, Sable. You sound like you actually care about me," Spider-Man teased.

Silver chuckled briefly.

"We'll keep an eye out for it," said Miguel.

"Wait, you hacked into my comm unit?" Spider-Man asked.

"We'll update you on Flipside when we see it again, Sable," said Miguel.

 _"Be careful," Silver said as she ended the call._

"Aw, she cares about me," Spider-Man gushed.

"Are you gonna take her out for pizza after this?" Miguel teased.

"You're not gonna tell me I ended up marrying her, are you?" Spider-Man asked.

"I'm already causing ripples in the time steam just by being here. I wouldn't be surprised if go back to the future and find a record of your marriage to Sablinova," said Miguel.

"Okay, good to know it's not true," said Spider-Man. "Still, it's nice to..."

Spider-Man was cut off when his Spider Sense kicked in. But before he could know what the danger is, Spider-Man gets tackled by something. It was Flipside. Miguel turns around and joins in on the fight.

"For shock's sake, tin can! Can't you just stay shut down for five shockin' minutes?!" Miguel complained.

Miguel fires another EMP web, but it shorts out upon impact with Flipside's armor. Flipside ignores Miguel and punches Spider-Man hard in the face. Spider-Man uses one of his finishers - a swirly kick to the head - but Flipside blocks his foot with its arm. It then grabs his leg and slams him down to the ground hard. Miguel throws his hardest punches, but the android persisted. Flipside uses what looks like a copy of Spider-Man's Suspension Matrix and sends Miguel flying way high. Flipside jumps and flip-kicks Miguel dozens of feet away from him.

As Flipside landed, Spider-Man tried webbing him up with multiple web shots. He then tries another one of his finishers. He punches the android in its head twice with force, but Flipside somehow dodges his finishing kick. Flipside quickly follows the dodge with a spin kick to the torso. Flipside breaks out of Spider-Man's webbing and throws the web-slinger through a window with ease.

Miguel goes for Web Strike, but Flipside dodges the incoming punch in a familiar way. It moved like Spider-Man would when dodging. It then punches Miguel through the shattered window. He landed next to Spider-Man.

"Are you okay, O'Hara?" asked Spider-Man.

"I will be when this shockin' robot is a pile of bolts and nails," Miguel said angrily.

"Do you say _shock_ all the time?" asked Spider-Man. "I understand PG-rated profanities, but..."

"No time," Miguel interrupted. "Flipside is designed to mimic our gadgets and adapt to our powers."

"So, basically a robotic version of Taskmaster," Spider-Man commented.

"Except Flipside learns in seconds. It takes Taskmaster all those stupid tasks, which can take who knows how long," said Miguel.

"So, how can we beat an android that can predict and copy our moves?" asked Spider-Man.

"No, I'll find that out myself," said Miguel. "You go and get that antiserum."

"No way am I leaving you to fight this thing," said Spider-Man.

"This isn't my time. It's yours. You have a city to save. I have only your future to deal with," said Miguel.

"And if you die?" asked Spider-Man.

"Then the best I can do is buy you time," Miguel said gravely and bravely. "Get that antiserum to the people, now. Go!"

Spider-Man continues to swing towards Oscorp, despite his reluctance to leave Miguel alone. Flipside was about to follow him, until Miguel threw a piece of rubble at him, attracting its attention. Flipside turns its head back to Miguel, who was more than ready for another fight.

Flipside reveals something new in its arsenal. A copy of Miguel's arm blades.

"Shock," Miguel cursed.

Miguel tries to use his own arm blades to cut off the android's head. His blades scratched Flipside's head, but the cut repaired instantly through nanotechnology. _Sloan really thinks of everything_ , Miguel thought.

And now Miguel has to dodge or else his own head might get cut off by the android's own arm blades. The android managed to scratch him... six times. But they were mere cuts, nothing too fatal. Still, more cuts and Miguel will bleed out. Timing the android's swings correctly, Miguel shields himself with his own arm blades, cutting off the android's own blades.

"Nothing beats the original, metal-head," said Miguel.

Miguel uses his webs to tie Flipside's arms and legs to the road. He punches the android over and over and over again. It's not working. So, he tried something else. EMP webs. Once the android was temporarily shut down, Miguel tries to open it up. However, when his arm blades made contact with the android's armor, it shocked him away. Flipside rebooted itself again and escaped from the webs.

"Damn you, Sloan," Miguel grunted.

Flipside starts punching Miguel with all of its robotic strength. Every punch felt like boulder-sized metal being thrown at his face. It did not help that the android can amplify its strength to unknown limits, making each punch feel worse than the last. Miguel tries to shake it off, but the pain was too much. Miguel uses what's left of his strength to throw a punch, but it was too weak. Not like his strongest punch could do much damage. Flipside rearranges its fist to deliver the strongest punch it could throw. It sent Miguel flying over a hundred feet and tumbling across the road painfully.

"Risk your own life for your hero, Miguel. Yeah, great idea, Miguel," Miguel said to himself angrily. "Wait until the future pokes fun at you, Miguel."

Flipside grabs Miguel by the throat with one hand and raises its other arm, preparing to impale him with his knockoff arm blades, which he just simply recreated. Before Flipside could finish the job, a portal opened behind it. A tentacle came through the portal and stabbed Flipside right through its head, where its central processor is. The tentacle retracted back to the portal, but not before dropping something off. Before the portal closed, a female voice spoke. It said...

"I'm sorry."

And it closed.

"What are you up to, Serena?" Miguel asked, having recognized the voice.

While Flipside's nonfunctional body falls, Miguel picks up what was dropped. It was a little device with - what the early 21st Century people would describe as - a touch pad and a dial. It appears to be a time travel device, as the "touch pad" changes the time displayed on the tiny screen. The dial seems to be a frequency adjuster, as the portal needs the right frequency to be opened.

"Couldn't have just dragged me into the portal with you, Serena? Unless it had a very short time limit that you only had time to either destroy Flipside or grab me," Miguel guessed. "Thanks."

* * *

Miguel had a time device in his hand, yet he chose not to use it immediately. He wanted to continue his team-up with his hero, Spider-Man. He swung towards Oscorp just in time to see the fight between Doctor Octopus and Spider-Man bring the tower's antenna down. The two stood on the side of the building and attacked each other. Miguel couldn't help but notice how aggressive Spider-Man was with every punch he threw. But considering what he knew, he couldn't blame him.

"Hold on, Parker," Miguel said as he swung closer.

Otto manages to smack Peter hard with one of his tentacles, but before he could deliver another blow, Miguel swings in and swing-kicks Otto's tentacle back at his own face. Miguel lands beside Spider-Man and prepares to fight with him.

"You took your time," Peter grunted to his future successor.

"You sure did a lot of damage here," Miguel commented.

"Never meet your heroes, huh?" Peter commented casually.

"You have no idea," Miguel said vaguely.

"A new friend, huh, Peter? A protege?" Otto assumed. "It won't do you any good."

"Bring it, you eight-legged landlubber," Miguel taunted.

Otto tries using two of his tentacles at a time to hit them both, but they were too fast. They even did a little combo of their own. One dodges while the other punches Otto in the face. Miguel even used Peter's back as a boost and landed a sweep kick to Otto's head. Otto tried using to two tentacles at the same time again, but they both evaded the arms as they both punched Otto in the face simultaneously. Peter even did a walk-up kick on Otto's face, knocking his goggles off his face.

"I'll take the back. You take the front," said Miguel.

Peter wall-runs down towards Otto and punches him hard in the face. Miguel rips the neural interface chip off Otto's neck, severing his mental connection to the arms. Miguel grabs the antiserum as Otto falls off the building. Otto fell into a hole on the side of the building, which was caused by all the fighting. Peter decides to confront him one more time. He even took off his mask.

Miguel watched. The things Peter said to Otto and the way he said them...

"I worshiped you. Your mind, your conscience, wanting to help others, the way you never gave up."

"You everything I wanted to be! And you just threw it away!"

"You do what you think is best, Doc. That's all any of us can... even if it hurts like hell."

Peter left Oscorp. Miguel just stood there on the wall listening to Otto shout Peter's name. Knowing the history between them, it is only now Miguel truly understands how much Otto's descent to villainy hurt Peter. As for Otto, he could tell that he cared about Peter, in his own twisted way. Otto would keep Peter's identity a secret. Otto even thought of Peter as a "son," which understandably affected Miguel emotionally.

"Miguel," Peter called. "Let's go."

"You're not just gonna leave him, are you?" asked Miguel.

"Sable's men'll take care of him. We have other people we need to tend to," said Peter.

* * *

Back at F.E.A.S.T., Spider-Man was watching over Aunt May while Dr. Morgan Michaels examines the antiserum. While they do that, MJ stood by the doorway with Miguel, who is still wearing his suit and mask just like Peter is right now. Miles showed up just to see how it was going, even though MJ wanted him to stay away. Given what happened to his father and how close he has become to Aunt May is such a short time, MJ didn't want him to see this just in case.

"So, the future, huh?" Miles asked the blue-suited Spider-Man.

"You need proof or something?" Miguel asked.

"Well, you got the futuristic vibe to prove it," said Miles. "But why are you here?"

"I could've gone home earlier, but I chose to stay and help," said Miguel.

"Would Peter have won that fight without you?" asked MJ.

"Yes," Miguel answered. "But I guess I was just... afraid... that I was changing things. Time travel is extremely complicated. You wouldn't understand."

"But we do understand feeling the need to help others no matter what," said MJ. "You knew he could win on his own, but you still felt he needed help. With that kind of thinking, I think it's clear you're the perfect successor to the mantle of Spider-Man."

"Thank you. That means a lot," Miguel said in a subtly emotional way.

"I'd ask about 2099, but this isn't the right time," said Miles, looking at Aunt May.

"Worst time, I know," Miguel said. "You two better leave. You don't want to see this."

"What's gonna happen?" asked MJ.

"Just go," Miguel said, calmly this time.

MJ and Miles leave. Dr. Michaels left as well after delivering the bad news to Spider-Man. If he uses the antiserum to cure someone right now, then there won't be enough to save everyone else who are infected by Devil's Breath. Surmising that Aunt May is someone very important to Spider-Man, Michaels left him alone with the antiserum to make his decision. Miguel stays, however. It was because he stayed that Peter walked up to him in a way that looked like he was angry about something. He shoved Miguel, which was a confirmation of his mood behind the mask.

"You knew this was gonna happen, didn't you?" Peter asked angrily. "Aunt May doesn't make it, doesn't she?"

"I didn't come here to save your aunt, Parker. I came here because I had no choice. Time machine went boom in my face and I ended up here with no way back," said Miguel. "Until now."

Miguel gestured to the time device in his hand.

"You knew Aunt May was gonna die and you're just gonna let her die?" Peter said accusingly.

"That sounds like you've made up your mind on what to do with the antiserum," said Miguel.

"What do you expect me to do?!" Peter cried. "One life for an entire city. This should be easy, but..."

"Your parents. Your Uncle Ben. I know," said Miguel.

"How could you ever know? You don't know me," said Peter.

"Actually, I do," said Miguel. "2095. I had just gotten my powers. When I started using them, it caught your attention. You led me to you. That's how I knew who you were."

"I lived until I was 100?" Peter asked, shocked.

Ignoring that question, Miguel continued. "You became the Uncle Ben to my Spider-Man, for a short time. You told me a lot. About your powers, my powers. About what happened to you. Everything that taught you about responsibility. Devil's Breath. Your Aunt May. A lot."

"And you're gonna tell me that everything turns out just fine?" Peter accused.

"I can't speak for you about that," said Miguel. "All I know is, you died not too long after we met. I had to grow up as Spider-Man on my own. I didn't have personal tragedies to mess with me. Finding out the company I work for is corrupt does that just enough. But the point is, I did ask you how it felt. How did you feel when you lost your Aunt May to Devil's Breath. Well, you're about to find out... unless you decide to use the cure on her given what you just learned."

"But... I can't... I can't do that," Peter said as his voice cracked due to indecision.

"I didn't have a choice when I came here. It just happened," said Miguel. "But you still have a choice. I can't make it for you. You either muck up the timeline or do the right thing. I'm just an unwanted visitor. Wrong place, wrong time."

Miguel walks away, leaving Peter to decide what to do with the antiserum. He did, however, eavesdrop with his mask's enhanced audio functions. What he heard, he can never unhear it.

Aunt May asked Peter to take off his mask.

She tells him that she knows what he has to do.

She sounded like she was ready to give her life for the city.

The finally scream from Peter as he chose not to use the antiserum.

How he cried next to his Aunt May as she flat-lined.

* * *

The next day, Miguel met with Peter on F.E.A.S.T. rooftop. Miguel knew he had to be gentle. He had just lost his Aunt May last night. Whatever he has to say to him, he has to be very calm about it. Peter was already mad at him for not telling him about Aunt May's death. Miguel would hate to imagine how his hero feels about him now.

"I'm sorry," Miguel apologized sincerely.

"You would've made the same choice," said Peter. "We all would."

"Yeah, I know," said Miguel. "But I never truly understood your pain until I saw it up close."

"I was a 100-year-old geezer when we met. I'm guessing my life went on smoothly, more or less," said Peter.

"You stayed involved in the science community even in your senior years," Miguel spoiled.

"What about being Spider-Man?" asked Peter. "Did I still..."

"With great power, comes great responsibility," Miguel quoted. "Why would you give up? Although, it would be advised for you to take a break. I understand. You're still grieving."

"I'm sorry I snapped at you," Peter apologized. "It's just..."

"With time travel, you'd think I can be able to just fix everything wrong," Miguel assumed. "But it doesn't work like that."

"We live with the choices we make, no matter how much it hurts. One of the worst and best lessons in history," Peter commented.

"You know I can't stay here, Peter," said Miguel.

"I know. You have a future to go home to," said Peter.

"A future I hope remains the same," said Miguel. "But before I go, I need to find Flipside."

"It's at Avengers Tower," said Peter. "No one goes in there anyways."

"Good luck, Parker," said Miguel. "I hope you'll get better. I really do."

"I hope so to," said Peter.

"By the way, I left you something at your ex-girlfriend's apartment," said Miguel. "If you ever decide to continue being Spider-Man, then maybe you need another addition to your wardrobe."

Miguel jumps off the roof and starts swinging towards Avengers Tower to get Flipside. He can't just leave late-21st Century technology stuck here in the past. As for Peter, well, he went to MJ's apartment to see what Miguel left behind. It was a box webbed to the outside of MJ's window. After grabbing the box, he heads to the roof to open it.

 _One minute later..._

Peter stepped out of the apartment building wearing a new suit. It resembled Migue's blue suit, from the mask design to the spider symbol to the arm blades. Only, it's mostly white with some black and red added to avoid blandness.

"Awesome," Spider-Man commented, if quietly instead of loudly. "I promise, Aunt May. I won't abandon my responsibility to this city. I'll make you proud, no matter what."

 **I must admit, I'm not really proud of this one. But effort is sometimes about how much you're invested in something. This chapter is an accepted suggestion long overdue for writing. Well, now I can get it off my back. I just hope it was good enough.**

 **A/N: I know I'm the one asking for reviews, but I don't need endless requests. Ever notice that I don't actually just thank anyone who submits a review? I don't just thank every user who reviews like that. I only thank users who sent reviews that truly made me feel good about what I wrote. That's why I added a SPECIAL THANKS message to Spideysquad, Bismarck Alexander, and Heinkelboy05. What the three of them said about the documentary chapter, I truly appreciated it. Sometimes, it's actually hard to thank reviewers.**

 **Notes:**

 **\- The 2099 White Suit is just so cool that I had to include it here, even in a small part. I know it's Miguel who is supposed to wear it, but... I did say comic accuracy is NOT to be expected.**

 **\- I know Serena Patel's reason for helping Miguel after just helping Sloan was never explained, but that just goes to show how I'm not proud of this. It's rushed, but I just don't have a lot of time on my schedule.**

 **\- I just thought using the name of Walker Sloan would be easier. And yeah, I've seen the Edge of Time video game (Shattered Dimensions, too).**

 **Next: Another Day in New York, Episode 5**


	28. Another Day in New York, Episode 5

**I hope you all don't mind, but I would like to get back to taking it easy. This story started out as a one-shot collection intended to be full of fun, romance, and a little bit of action. Now, it's become more than that. I'm not very fond of the direction I took (especially with the whole HYDRA and Latveria stuff), but I will be fine as long as I can still do these "take time to relax" one-shots.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: josephguy217, Tbone, Knox, Tobi, Redwall**

 ** _To crawforddarius7_: No, not really. I watched Young Justice, but I wasn't really on board with its recent continuation.**

 ** _To Knox_: Oh, right. Thanks for pointing that out. Needed to fix it.**

 ** _To Tobi_: I have heard, but I haven't really seen the movie yet.**

 ** _To Redwall_: I wasn't exactly at my most energetic writing the 2099 AU chapter. Plus, there was that whole Serena Patel heel-turn moment that I intentionally didn't even bother to explain. But I'm glad you still enjoyed it. "Groundbreaking" huh?**

 ** _To gammaxmen80_: Even if I have seen it (which I haven't), I don't think I want to write something based off it. Honestly, it's too bizarre for me, even though I love Spider-Man. I will watch it one day, though.**

 _"This is Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson," Jared announced. "Where listeners like you discuss issues affecting our city with Pulitz... uh... two-time Pulitzer-prize winning former publisher of the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson. And as always, if you order Mr. Jameson's book, Spider-Man: Threat or Menace, within 24 hours of our broadcast, you'll get an autographed copy at no extra charge. No personalisations, I'm afraid. Now, let's see what Mr. Jameson has for us today."_

 _"Jared, what was that?" Jameson asked, displeased. "Where's the volume? The groundbreaking tone in your voice? The booming boom that makes it clear..." Using his commanding tone as a demonstration, he shouts, "NO PERSONALISATIONS!" He then speaks a little calmer. "I gave you one chance to convince me to raise your salary by 5% for the rest of the year, but you go on and ruin it yourself. You're lucky I'm not firing you again, you little..."_

 _"Uh, sir," Jared interrupted._

 _"DON'T SPEAK ON MY SHOW UNLESS I TELL YOU TO, JARED!" Jameson shouted. "NOW, TURN OFF THAT MICROPHONE OF YOURS AND FETCH ME A CUP OF COFFEE!"_

 _Jared had a "but" as a response._

 _"What do you mean our coffee machine broke yesterday?" Jameson questioned._

 _Jared explained himself._

 _"THEN IT'S YOUR FAULT FOR NOT GETTING IT FIXED OR REPLACED YESTERDAY!" Jameson shouted. "ONE MORE WORD FROM YOU AND YOU'LL BE GETTING MY WIFE'S SISTER'S COOKING FOR CHRISTMAS! Now, shut up and let our first caller speak."_

 _Jared keeps his mouth shut and answers the episode's first caller._

 _"What's your name, caller?" Jameson asked._

 _"Tobey... uh... Gar-Garre-Garl-Garfield. Tobey Garfield," the caller answered._

 _"Okay, Garfield, let me ask you a question," said Jameson. "Spider-Man's cult... fan club, I mean... wants Mayor Sarkissian to build a statue in honor of their hero. Tell me. Does he deserve such an honor?"_

 _"Well, I admit, it's a little over-the-top," said the caller. "But he's done so much for this city that it's hard for the people not to want to show him how much they appreciate him."_

 _"Is that a yes or a no?" asked Jameson._

 _"Well, it depends. Does Spider-Man want the statue?" The caller responded._

 _"What kind of question is that, Garfield? Of course, he wants it!" Jameson claimed. "He wants nothing more than for all of New York to worship him like some sort of celebrity. Okay, he helps the Avengers fight shape-shifting aliens and he saves us from the Devil's Breath sickness and kisses a princess on camera and stops a civil war, BUT IT'S ALL JUST FOR THE ATTENTION!"_

 _"You've read his social media profile, right? He doesn't sound all in for the idea of a statue of him," said the caller._

 _"Hah! False modesty, more like it," Jameson accused. "Listen, Garfield, and listen well. Spider-Man's ego knows no bounds. He's willing to throw himself at the most dangerous situations just so he can brag about it to our faces! Why must you be blind like everyone else, Garfield?! I mean, he's clearly trying to get to the top of the mountain. First, he gets millions of fans on his Twitter account. Next, he demands a gold statue of himself to replace the Statue of Liberty. And who knows what other methods of attention-hogging he has in mind? Spreading his chaos-causing capers across multiple cities? Recruiting an army of spider-powered sidekicks? Making friends with the President of the United States...?!"_

 _A brief silence takes place. Jameson is dreading at the many possible ways Spider-Man could make himself more popular than ever before and how his popularity will plague the world. As if imagining a Spider-Man army wasn't horrifying enough of a thought._

 _"My answer is no. I don't think he should have a statue," the caller said casually. "He just wants to protect us, the people of the city, and I'm sure simple gratitude is more than enough for him. Although, I'm pretty sure his fan club just want a simple 10-to-20-foot statue in Central Park or any other park. They know to leave the Statue of Liberty alone."_

 _"And now you're encouraging them," Jameson said accusingly. "That's all the time we have. Jared, hang up the call."_

 _"Don't you want to ask me something else?" asked the caller._

 _"As a matter of fact, yes," said Jameson. "Have you bought my book?"_

 _"Uh, no," the caller answered._

 _"Oh, okay... GOODBYE!" Jameson responded loudly._

* * *

Peter Parker arrives at the Daily Bugle with a new camera around his neck. He takes a few deep breaths as the elevator takes him to the top floor. After many weeks of thinking about MJ's suggestion, he finally decided to return to the Daily Bugle as a photographer. His Parker pride wouldn't allow him to make money the easy way, but his rent issues coming back to him again, he just had to find a way to keep an apartment until he finds something else to do with his working life. After all, Octavius Industries right now is more like Spider-Man's personal lab instead of a real business.

"Hey, Parker," Eddie greeted with a punch on the shoulder. "First day back, huh?"

"Nice to see you too, Eddie," Peter said half-sincerely.

"Hey, don't be like that," Eddie said, hearing the mild contempt in Peter's voice. "You wanna take pictures of Spider-Man, that's cool with me. Just don't interfere with my work again, okay?"

"Whatever pays the rent, I'm cool with it," said Peter.

"Well, good talk," Eddie said.

Eddie walks away, but not before patting Peter in the back pretty hard. They have a sort of love-hate relationship now, but Peter prefers that over a 100% all-hate relationship. The many times they butted over who gets to take pictures of Spider-Man, he remembers every moment all too well.

"Hey, Peter," Betty Brant greeted. "Welcome back."

"Hey, Betty," Peter greeted. "Yeah, welcome back, I guess. I just can't believe I'm back here again. I mean, I was really serious about leaving, yet here I am."

"Well, Robbie's inside so you can talk to him," said Betty.

"Good thing I don't have a boss who yells my name while I'm on the other side of the floor anymore," said Peter.

"Ah, yes. The infamous Jameson-style shout for the one Peter Parker," Betty said, remembering all the times Jameson shouted to call for Peter. "Well, fortunately for you, it's Jared who is the victim of that infamous shouting."

"Poor guy, though," Peter said sympathetically.

Peter enters Robbie's office and hands him an envelope. In the envelope are pictures of Spider-Man, who just stopped a bunch of criminals from escaping in a stolen truck. As expected, Peter's pictures of the fight are unrealistically masterful. _Kid hasn't lost his touch_ , Robbie thought.

"Welcome back to the Daily Bugle, Peter," said Robbie.

"It's not long-term, I'm afraid," said Peter.

"I know. I know. You're only here to pay rent until you find a way to get back in the science game. I know," Robbie interrupted, having been through this conversation a few times already.

"But honestly, it feels good to be back," said Peter. "I really missed doing photography. At least I don't have to worry about Jameson this time."

"Keep sending me high-quality pics and you'll get an immediate raise, Peter," Robbie promised.

"Thanks, Robbie," said Peter.

"Hey, thank Mary Jane. She's the one who talked me into bringing you back to the family," said Robbie.

"Good to be back," said Peter. "Don't worry, chief. You got the best Spider-Man photographer in the Big Apple. It'll really feel like the old days."

"Already feels like it," said Robbie.

"So, uh, where's MJ?" asked Peter.

"Probably on another one of her private projects," said Robbie. "At home, most likely."

"Anyway, thanks again," said Peter.

"No, thank you, Peter," said Robbie. "Don't tell Eddie I said this, but you're the best. Still are."

* * *

Peter was on his way to see MJ at her apartment when a police chase just zoomed right past him. Two cars driven by criminals are being chased by three police cars. All the citizens duck and finds cover to avoid getting hit by bullets (the cops and criminals were shooting each other). Swinging right over Peter's head is Kid Arachnid, who was trying to end the chase. Peter couldn't leave this alone, so he runs to find a place where he can change into his suit undetected.

Kid Arachnid avoids the bullets as he tries to speed up. He webs himself towards the first car. He jumps to the left and webs off the rear left tire. He immediately jumps to the right and webs off the right wheel. The car's rear falls and scratches the road. Kid Arachnid then webs off the front wheels, all the while dodging gunfire from point blank range.

"He's just a kid! Kill him!" Thug #1 shouted.

"I may be a kid, but you're all just being angry toddlers," Kid Arachnid insulted.

After the first car stops due to unscrewed wheels, Kid Arachnid webs the doors open and web-throws the driver thug to a wall. The other two thugs in the car come out and aim their guns at the young superhero.

"Can you guys just put the guns down? I got another car to chase?" Kid Arachnid pleaded humorously.

Fortunately, his mentor swung right past him from above. Since Spider-Man is taking care of the second car, Kid Arachnid can stay here and take care of the thugs for the first car, who were already firing. Good thing he has a Spider Sense and superhuman reflexes. He webs Thug #2's face, causing him to drop his gun. Kid Arachnid runs towards Thug #3, slides between his legs, webs his back, and web-throws him at Thug #2.

"I know I shouldn't get cocky, but I could use a real challenge," said Kid Arachnid.

"Don't move, kid!" A police officer shouted.

Kid Arachnid raises his hands and says, "Uh, I'll pay for the damages...?"

Spider-Man lands on top of the second car. Four thugs inside. They try to shoot Spider-Man off the car, but he's just too fast. When Thug #4 looks out the window to get a good shot, Spider-Man pulls him out and kicks him away. He fires an Impact Web shot to stick the thug to a wall.

"Stick around, will ya?" Spider-Man joked.

Thug #5 takes his shot, only to get wrapped in a web-made straitjacket by Spider-Man and zipped to a street light. Thug #6, the man on the passenger seat, tries to shoot Spider-Man, only to get his gun webbed off his hand. Spider-Man webs him up and attaches him to a web line that leaves him hanging on a wall just a dozen feet from the ground.

"Not what I hoped when I suggested we hang out," Spider-Man joked.

Thug #7, the one in the driver's seat, tries shooting without looking. He missed terribly. Spider-Man didn't even have to move from where he was standing. The thug shot all air.

"Hey, the Stormtrooper Academy called! They want their aim back!" Spider-Man insulted jokingly.

Spider-Man jumps off the roof and zips himself in the car through the window by the passenger's seat. He kicks Thug #7 out and quickly webs him to the sidewalk. Spider-Man then zips himself to the back of the car and fires two web lines at the bumper, pulling on it with all of his strength to stop the car. It took about five seconds, but he managed to stop the car. He waves at the crowd before swinging back to where his sidekick was. Some cheered as he swung away.

Spider-Man returns to the first car to see Kid Arachnid putting his hands in the air like a criminal under arrest.

"Whoa, hey," Spider-Man interrupted. "He did nothing wrong."

"Except for interfere in police matters."

The cop who said that showed herself to the duo. She sports a red leather jacket with a yellow shirt underneath and has a Commissioner's badge strapped to her belt. Long dark brown hair, possibly in her 30s, and has a not-so-happy look on her face.

"Commissioner Jessica Drew," Spider-Man recognized her. "Pleasure to finally meet you."

Spider-Man holds his hand out for a handshake, but Jessica refused him.

"The pleasure's mine as well, Spider-Man. You're quite the big talk around here," Jessica said casually. "But that doesn't mean you have the right to interrupt us."

"Uh, in his defense, I interrupted first," said Kid Arachnid.

"Quiet, kid," Jessica ordered.

"And here I thought I was gonna make a new friend," said Spider-Man.

"Listen here closely, web-head," Jessica said seriously. "I know you and Watanabe were tight. But I'm not Watanabe. Mayor Sarkissian assigned me the job of Police Commissioner to clean up this city _without_ vigilante interference. You may have good intentions, Spider-Man, but you're still breaking the law."

"We both want to protect the people of this city. There's no need for us to be enemies," said Spider-Man.

"Which is why I'm allowing you and your rookie cohort to continue your so-called heroic antics," said Jessica. "But if you intrude any case under the NYPD authority or get involved in any crime I'm in charge of, we'll throw you in jail for obstruction of justice."

Jessica intentionally shoulder-checks Spider-Man as she orders her men to check on the webbed-up thugs.

"I wouldn't get on her bad side if I were you," said DeWolff.

"So, can I put my arms down?" Kid Arachnid asked.

"You're not under arrest, kid," said DeWolff.

Kid Arachnid lowers his arms and sighs with relief.

"I'm sorry, you two, but you have to find your own crimes to butt into. Drew won't like it if you interfere with police matters," said DeWolff.

"I'm definitely staying away from her, that's for sure," said Kid Arachnid.

"Starting to miss Yuri, huh?" DeWolff asked the older hero.

"Don't we all?" Spider-Man replied sadly.

"You better get out of here before you make another scene," said DeWolff.

"No prob," said Kid Arachnid. "Stay beautiful, Detective."

Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid swing away from the scene. DeWolff shakes her head and blushes a little at Kid Arachnid's comment. She had to put on a straight face when Commissioner Drew looked at her sternly. As for the two spider-powered heroes, the older hero had something ask his sidekick about. Something about what he said back on the ground.

"Were you hitting on Jean back there?" Spider-Man asked his protege. "Don't you have a girlfriend?"

"I... well... you hit on Commissioner Watanabe, didn't you?" Kid Arachnid replied awkwardly.

"When I turned 20," Spider-Man said, not even denying he did flirt with Yuri. "You're lucky if DeWolff isn't crushing on you right now. What's Janice gonna say?"

"I was just teasing, like you did with you-know-who," Kid Arachnid defended himself.

"We're gonna talk about this," said Spider-Man.

* * *

Speaking of the ex-cop Spidey used to flirt with, Yuri is at a gym doing some exercises. Right now, she's trying to do 10 pull-ups. But she stops at 9 and lets go of the bar. She starts panting and sits down to hydrate. She's been here for a long time and even she sees that she's overworking herself. A couple muscles ache and she's sweating like she's wearing a parka in the desert.

"Had enough today, Yuri?" the gym instructor asked.

"Maybe," said Yuri.

"You've been coming here a lot since you resigned from the police," said the instructor. "Planning on joining the military?"

"No," said Yuri. "I just need something to do to take my mind off things."

"You said you resigned because of Mary Jane Watson's article on your father," said the instructor.

Yuri keeps a straight face as she thinks about that lie. When asked about why she "resigned" from the NYPD, she told everyone that MJ's article concerning her father had her thinking about her future. She said, on record, _"Maybe I am obsessed with the Maggia because of what they did to my father. But I know better. I don't want my obsessions to sabotage my career. I don't want to end up like my father. Now that Hammerhead is dead, I feel now is the best time to move on. Being an officer of the law has been a huge honor, but I know when it's time to call it quits. I need to find something else to focus on. Something that keeps me away from the Maggia and the stress that comes with targeting them."_ And everyone who doesn't know about her hand in Hammerhead's first death believed her. Nobody knows that Mayor Ophelia Sarkissian's threats and suspicions forced her to resign.

"Are these exercises more of the cathartic and therapeutic kind?" asked the instructor.

"I don't pay you to ask me questions. I pay you to let me work out here," said Yuri.

"It's not healthy to overwork yourself and you know it," said the instructor. "What exactly are planning to do with your life, Yuri?"

Yuri didn't say a word just drank more water. The look on her face scares the instructor, though. Something dark in that frown and in those eyes. Whatever is bothering Yuri, she's definitely not gonna say what it is.

"Fine. I'll leave you to whatever you have in mind," said the instructor.

What the gym instructor doesn't know, much like everyone in the city, is that Yuri is the mysterious new vigilante targeting the Maggia. While no one knows who the vigilante is, they know her motif. She leaves her victims dead and wrapped in purple strings with case files linked to the people killed/hurt by her victims. The reason Yuri is working out so hard is because she aims to adapt copiously, and the reason she overworks herself in her workouts is because of Spider-Man. Stolen Sable tech and criminal tech can only get her so far. In the event she gets into a chase with Spider-Man, she knows she'll be caught easily. She's 39 going 40, so it's clear her physicality will be a liability in the future, should she choose to continue on this one-woman crusade.

"This is far from over," she muttered to herself.

* * *

Peter shows up at MJ's apartment building. Fortunately for him, she's inside and just working on her own stories. As much as he's grown used to her risking her life for a story, he is glad to see her just taking it easy for now. She lets him in and they sit on the couch to talk about, well, work. Spider-Plushie (a.k.a. Agent SP) sat in between the lovely young couple. But hey, he's a plushie, right? He can't verbally express discomfort in being the third wheel... right?

"Still working on that Symkaria piece?" Peter asked, looking at her laptop.

"Multiple pieces, actually," said MJ. "Nine countries are now aiding Silver Sable in her war. U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. are losing pretty bad. And the Avengers have been a big help in that."

"Man, I wish I could be there," said Peter.

"I thought you didn't want to be an Avenger," said MJ.

"Doesn't meant I don't mind an occasional team-up," said Peter.

"So, was there something you wanted to ask me?" asked MJ.

"The new police commissioner. Jessica Drew. What do you have on her?" asked Peter.

MJ brings up everything she has on the new Commissioner. "Jessica Drew. Age 37. Born in London. Came here to the U.S. five years after graduating college. She's been in and out of the country many times. She's served in multiple police forces and even spent time with the British military. She has a reputation for being hands-on no matter what situation."

"Definitely someone the city needs as the head of the police," Peter commented frigidly.

"You don't like her, do you?" MJ guessed, reading his tone.

"Only 'cause she doesn't like me," said Peter.

"You gonna flirt with her too?" MJ teased.

"No way," said Peter. "I have way too many women in my life... n-n-n-not that I'm saying you have competition. It's just..."

MJ laughs and says, "That's okay. You've made yourself very clear, like, a million times already. I have nothing to worry about."

"Miles is hitting on Jean, though," Peter mentioned.

"Oh, my God," MJ reacted. "He's trying too hard to be like you."

"Hey, I was flirting with Yuri because I was single at the time," said Peter. "Miles read it the wrong way."

"How long have you been hitting on Yuri exactly?" MJ asked curiously.

"Are we really talking about this?" Peter asked, trying to get out of it.

"You started it," said MJ.

"20. I waited until I was 20. Okay, there's your answer," Peter answered quickly and awkwardly. "Can we stop now?"

MJ just laughs again, only to stop herself.

"I'm sorry, Pete. I know you're sensitive when talking about Yuri 'cause of what happened to her," MJ said apologetically.

"Can we just talk about something else, please?" Peter asked.

"Okay, okay, okay," MJ agreed in a calm way. "So, Robbie called. You're finally back in the Bugle."

"For a limited time," said Peter.

"That Parker pride of yours. It's frustratingly admirable," said MJ.

"Look, MJ, I'm trying to keep Octavius Industries open for as long as I can. I can only rely on Harry's dad for so long," said Peter. "And after all the money Felicia stole from him, he's been a little more over the edge lately."

(Peter eventually found out that Felicia stole $25,000,000 from Norman anyway in spite of their encounter with the assassin in the green armor)

"The famous Norman Osborn," MJ commented sarcastically. "What exactly do you have in mind for Octavius Industries, Peter?"

"Continue Doc Ock's work, I guess," said Peter. "Wait, did I just say Doc Ock?"

"Yeah, you did," said MJ.

"Sometimes, I wish I can stuff all my humor in my mask so I can be all serious when I take it off," Peter commented.

"But you're gonna need a lot of money for prosthetics," said MJ. "And like you said, you can't rely on Norman forever. And we both know no one is gonna agree to donate to Octavius Industries after all the harm Otto did."

"I would've stayed at Mick's, but I was one kitchen accident away from being fired," said Peter. "This adult stuff is breaking me."

"I know how you feel," MJ understood.

"Maybe I should step away from the prosthetics business for a while, work on smaller and cheaper projects projects, work my way back up to the prosthetics phase," Peter thought.

"Like what?" asked MJ.

"Uh... I haven't thought that far ahead yet," said Peter. "But I'll come up with something."

"Peter," MJ said in a concerning tone. "Why do you still the suit that Otto made for you? I mean, after what he did to the city and... to Aunt May... why still wear the white spider? I'm just curious and very, very worried."

"Believe me, I ask myself that question as well," said Peter. "But I guess the reason I wear it is to remind myself that I'm in a brand new stage in my life. I mean, I became Spider-Man after I lost Uncle Ben. For the next eight years, I just did what I could do for this city. I've faced muggers and bank robbers and supervillains, even aliens, but I am and always everyone's Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. But now... after May di... after she..." His voice cracked as he tried to continue. "I wear Otto's suit as a symbol. A symbol of a new person. I am who I always am, but I let Aunt May go because it was the right thing to do. After doing something like that, how can I... I just don't... the man in that old red and blue suit caused the death of his uncle by being irresponsible. I could've used the cure to save May, I didn't. It's not so much that wearing the white spider is a painful reminder of Otto. It's really a reminder of May."

MJ puts her arms around Peter and holds him close, embracing him with as much comfort as she can give him. Of course he's still hurting from May's death. It's not something he's gonna get over so easily. Forced to choose between her and the city, it will forever live on in his mind and heart. Peter's reason for wearing the suit with the white spider, MJ had no idea how deep the reason was. Hearing the pain and solemnity in his voice made it clear just how much it hurt and how much it doesn't hurt to wear the white spider on his chest.

"We'll get through this, Peter. I know we can," MJ said with comfort and positivity.

"I have you. I have Miles. I know I can," Peter smiled.

One brief kiss on the lips should just about help lift his spirits a little. And it did. Peter buried his head on MJ's shoulder after the kiss, feeling safe next to her. MJ didn't meant for a simple question involving the white spider to turn into a heavy moment, but Peter knew he could be honest with her and still count on her to keep him from drowning in his grief and sorrow.

* * *

After reading MJ's latest articles on the Symkarian Civil War, Peter gets back to patrol. Sporting the red and blue suit with the white spider on his chest, he swings around the city without a care in the world... at least until the next crime. MJ may have been correct about the white spider having a psychological effect on him, but he chose to stick with it for his own reasons. Despite of them, he saves the city the way he always does for the past nine years. _Nine years_ , he thought. One more and he would be reaching the big 1-0 in his superhero career.

Suddenly, a pair of electric bolas wrap themselves around him in mid-air. He crashes on top of a rooftop, rolls off the edge, hits a fire escape, and falls all the way down to an alleyway.

"Who ambushes someone while they're swinging through the city?" Spider-Man complained. "Wait a minute... Tas..."

Spider-Man was cut off when he got hit in the neck with some kind of dart. It was doing something to his head. His vision blurs, he starts feeling dizzy, and he couldn't move. He squirms and turns in an effort to fight back against whatever was inside the dart, only to see who ambushed him.

"Tas-Taskmaster," he grunted.

"Long time no see, kid," said Taskmaster.

"Wha-What did you do to me?" asked Spider-Man.

"It's a sedative designed specially for you," said Taskmater. "Your protege was quite resistant to a regular dose, so my client created this just for you."

"Who-Who's..."

Spider-Man couldn't finish the question because the sedative finally made him fall asleep. After making sure Spider-Man is truly unconscious, Taskmaster taps into his comm-link to contact his client.

"I have him," Taskmaster reported.

 _"Good," said the client. "I'm leaving you an address. Bring Spider-Man to me there."_

"As long as you pay me what you promised," said Taskmaster.

 **"Who is the client?" you may ask? Well, the answer may have to wait.**

 **Well, that ends yet another episode of "Another Day in New York". This was honestly relaxing to write. I need this once a while, guys. It's what I started writing this story for. I may have turned this into a story-driven FanFic (all because I fear readers might be clamoring for more), but I still want to calm down once in a while.**

 **If you're gonna leave a review, please NO REQUESTS. Between HYDRA, Latveria, the Raft, and simply fun one-shots, I'm juggling way too much already.**

 **Notes:**

 **\- Ophelia Sarkissian is the mayor. She appoints Jessica Drew as police commissioner. Coincidence? You tell me.**

 **\- Since the Spider-Man video game sequel won't be out for who knows how long, I have to give a go on Yuri's descent to Wraith. Trust me, once the sequel comes out and executes its own Wraith storyline, I'm gonna be super embarrassed by how I've handled Wraith myself (much like how the Silver Lining DLC made me so embarrassed at how emotional and passionate I've made Silver Sable). But I'm still gonna try my best at the Wraith stuff. I'm not a comic reader so I'll be relying on my own head for this one. Wish me luck.**


	29. Red Flag Painted Silver

**HUGE WARNING!**

 **When you read the ending of this chapter, you're probably gonna have some insinuations about what it all means. Remember, it's a WARNING! I just don't want anyone getting the wrong ideas before I reveal everything about what the ending means. This is just my paranoia talking. You'll find out.**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **Anyways, please enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I'd really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for the most recent reviews: josephguy217, K2-Black-Panther, K.I. Hernandez, Knox, Mitsuki Shigamatsu, God Awful, CG, Spideysquad, Bismarck Alexander, Heinkelboy05, Alf768**

 ** _To K2-Black-Panther_: You don't have to explain. I understand that people have other important things to do. Your comments/reactions on my latest updates are good enough.**

 ** _To crawforddarius7_: Stop, please. Just stop. The review list is not for these kinds of talks (try using PM for that). Besides, my schedule is too tight for television, let alone FanFiction writing. Plus, not really interested.**

 ** _To God Awful_: Thanks for telling me what you think of the "Normal Day in New York" series. It's honestly one of my most favorite things to write in this story.**

 ** _To CG_: You do know that the Spider-Man 2099 chapter was an AU (alternate universe), right? Unless you mean that I bring Miguel O'Hara to the real timeline... I don't know about that.**

 ** _To Guest_: Actually, your suggestion is pretty much the same as the Noir chapter. No matter the setting (old-timey or modern), it's still asking for a Batman-esque type of Spider-Man.**

Spider-Man opens his eyes and sees a dusty ceiling. His vision is a bit blurry. His head hurts. His body feels like he has been gaining too much weight... nope, he's still as fit as a Spider-Man. He finds himself in some kind of office inside a rusty warehouse. When he tried to get up, he surprisingly felt finer than he expected. Waking up hurts, but getting up doesn't. Weird. His head, however, needs more time to recover. So, he stays on the couch that he was lying on and waits until his head feels at least 90% okay. Right now, he would say that he's 60% or 65% okay.

"What happened?" Spider-Man wondered. "Taskmaster tranquilized me and... I just slept? What the hell happened? How long was I asleep?"

After his head was finally 90% okay, Spider-Man gets off the couch and opens the door. It was locked, though. Deciding not to even bother looking for the key, he just bumps the door open with his shoulder. Fortunately for him, the warehouse is abandoned... with the exception of a few spiders.

"My kind of people," Spider-Man joked. "Thanks for, uh, keeping the place clean for my waking up. But, uh, I got a girl to get home to. I mean... she and I are not together-together, but we are together. Just not the getting-home-to-a-wife kind of together... okay, I'm just gonna leave."

Spider-Man salutes to the spiders as he leaves the warehouse.

As soon as he got his first taste of the sun since he was kidnapped by Taskmaster, he started swinging back to MJ's apartment. According to his map, he's somewhere in Queens. That scares him, because he was born in Queens. If Taskmaster left him at Queens, then...

"He knows who I am," Spider-Man said to himself, scared that it might be true. "But why dump me in an abandoned warehouse? I mean, why not out me? Or he has outed my identity and is waiting for me to get back to Manhattan to see everyone's reaction. Oh, please don't let that be the case." Then he remembered something. "Oh, what are you doing, Spidey? If you want answers, go to the internet. Maybe I can even find out how long I've been gone. Feels like it's been a day... maybe two."

Spider-Man takes a look at his social media account. According to his fans' post, he has been gone for...

"Three days?" Spider-Man read. "Wait, Miles fought an entire warehouse full of Demons without me yesterday? Good job, I guess. I can catch up with Jameson's podcast about that. But not right now. I need cheering up, not putting down."

As soon as he entered the island of Manhattan, people started looking up and cheering. Or gossiping, probably wondering where he has been for the past three days. He wanted to do some air tricks, but his head is not 100% okay. And his head needs to be, according to himself, 99.9% okay for him to do some air tricks. Right now, he's just smoothly swinging across the streets on his way to his girlfriend's house. He did a bit of wall-running just to test his head before slingshot-ing himself back into swinging mode. He's feeling a little bit better than when he left the warehouse.

People will see him enter MJ's apartment in broad daylight, so he had to go back to his apartment to change into some appropriate clothes for a visit. All he's wearing underneath the suit is a Spider-Man-branded pair of shorts. MJ would laugh when he shows up at her doorstep with nothing but his boxers. Plus, her neighbors would be thinking the wrong things if they see him walking to her apartment in his shorts.

After changing, he walks to MJ's apartment building. He goes up to her door and knocks. MJ opens the door and gasps with happiness at the sight of him. She quickly hugs him, squeezing him a bit too tight.

"Good to... see you... too," Peter grunted.

"Where have you been?" MJ asked, sounding clearly worried. "You just disappeared. No one knew where you were. I went through every possible lead I could get. Miles searched all over the city for you. A day went by, and then another, and another..."

"It's okay. I'm okay. Really, I am," Peter interrupted calmly.

MJ takes a few deep breaths. Peter was here, after all. Right here. In her apartment. In front of her. Alive and well. Alive. And well. He smells like he needs a shower, though. But she doesn't care. She's happy that he's all right.

"Where were you?" MJ asked curiously and worriedly.

"I... I don't know," said Peter. "At least, before Queens, I don't know."

"Queens?" asked MJ.

"Taskmaster captured me," Peter revealed. "Where he took me for the past three days, I don't know. All I know is that I woke up in Queens. I think... it's scary, but I think he looked under my mask while I was unconscious. Probably did research until he found the name to go with my face."

"What did he do to you?" MJ asked, concerned and afraid.

"I don't know. I really don't know," Peter answered honestly. "But he hasn't outed my identity yet. He didn't even leave anything for me when I woke up. He just dropped me off and left me alone. I even checked my body for tracking devices or some kind of other Double 007 kind of stuff, but nothing. Maybe he just really wanted my identity."

"But Taskmaster is a mercenary. He doesn't do anything without being paid," said MJ. "Which means it was someone else who wanted your identity."

"Which begs the question, why hasn't he or she ratted me out yet?" Peter wondered.

MJ squeezes his shoulders gently and says, "Forget about that for now. You're home. You're safe. Please stay."

"No need to say please. I was planning on staying," said Peter. "Did, uh, Agent SP miss me?"

"Oh, he certainly did," said MJ. "Speaking of missing you, I better call Miles... and Robbie."

"What did you tell Robbie?" asked Peter.

"That you were on a, uh, spiritual retreat," said MJ. "After Aunt May, it was actually easy for him to believe it."

"Thank you," Peter smiled.

* * *

The first thing Peter and MJ decided to do is go to Mick's. Let's just say the manager was not happy to see Peter's face. He should be glad that Peter is no longer working here. Still, seeing him is bothering. Peter and MJ ordered fries and soda and sit down to talk. Peter suggested just sitting on the couch and playing Crash Bandidcoot, but MJ wanted to get out of the apartment. So, Mick's it is.

"I really missed these fries," said Peter.

"More than you missed me?" MJ asked jokingly.

"Debatable," Peter joked.

MJ just smiled and giggled. It was really good to have him back. That Parker humor, it's irreplaceable, just like his place in her heart.

"So, are you sure you're fit to get back out there?" asked MJ.

"Hey, if you want me to take a day off or two, I'll take it," said Peter. "I hate to leave Miles alone, but after that Demon warehouse thing..."

"It didn't exactly go flawless," said MJ. "It was supposed to be a stealth mission. He failed that part. He walked out of the fight with a broken rib, a dislocated shoulder, and a mild concussion."

"Well, if he can handle himself against waves of Demons, then he's already better than I am," said Peter.

"Only because you taught him," said MJ. "And it was only three waves, according to him. The Demons are really spread out."

"That Raft breakout plan. Still ongoing, huh?" Peter asked.

"Okay, but enough about business," said MJ. "You're back and you're fine. So, I thought maybe... date night?"

"We're on a date now," Peter pointed out.

"I know," MJ said casually. "But I meant it. Date night. I want you to plan it, if you don't mind sitting down on the bench today."

"Hey, I'm all yours all day, MJ," said Peter. "I don't think we even need date night. Might as well be a date day."

"Date day? That sounds terrible," said MJ. "But with you, it can be an exception."

"Awesome," said Peter. "Say, how about..."

Peter was interrupted when police cars raced by Mick's, sirens blazing. _Isn't this a familiar feeling_ , Peter and MJ both thought. It reminded them of their little talk here at Mick's last year following the Demons' attack on Fisk's estate sale. That moment reminded them of the many times Peter had to leave MJ because of police cars. But they're learned to get used to it.

"Saved by the siren," MJ joked, remembering what she said last time.

"You want me to go out there?" asked Peter.

"We both know you have to," said MJ. "No matter what Commissioner Drew says."

Peter wastes no time and leaves Micks' to see what was going on. MJ smiled as she watched him run to find someplace safe to change into his suit. She then looked over at the counter. This moment was missing something, unfortunately.

"Miss you, Stan," said MJ.

* * *

 ** _Two months later..._**

Spider-Man follows yet another band of police cars driving fast through the streets. Their flashing sirens indicate something big is going on where they're heading. At the street where , Kid Arachnid is fighting some guy in bluish-silver armor armed with an energy rife and shock batons. It looked like a combination of a Sable agent and an U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. agent. _At least it's not some monstrous-looking scientific hybrid_ , Spider-Man thought. And from the looks of things, the agent was winning the fight.

After getting hit with a rifle blast, Kid Arachnid fires a web line at the agent. The agent, however, cuts it with a knife. The agent grabs its bigger gun just as Kid Arachnid gets up and swings away. The agent fires at the right time and captures Kid Arachnid in shock bolas.

The police cars stop at the street and the officers inside come out with their guns in their hands. Spider-Man lands on top of a police car, joining the fight.

"Get out of here, Spider-Man," said an officer.

"Is Commissioner Drew here?" Spider-Man asked flippantly.

"No, but she won't be happy you're here," said an officer.

"That's my friend there, officers. I'm gonna save him whether you like it or not," Spider-Man insisted.

"Well, well, look who's finally back from his extended vacation," said the agent.

"It's been three days. I needed some time off," said Spider-Man. "So, who are you? Do you work for Sable or U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.? Or did you just steal both their gear and made a DIY supervillain outfit?"

"A chatterbox, huh? I hate chatterboxes," said the agent.

The agent starts firing at Spider-Man. Spider-Man starts swinging around while the police officers duck. Spider-Man fires multiple web shots at the agent, webbing him up. The agent breaks out of them pretty easily, but not fast enough to react to Spider-Man's web strike. Spider-Man punches him in the face, spin-kicks him on the side, and double-kicks him in the chest. The agent throws a punch, only for Spider-Man to web-slide between his legs. The agent turns around, only to get uppercutted in the face and knocked down on his back.

Spider-Man webs the agent down to the road.

"Don't move," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man walks over to Kid Arachnid and frees him from the bolas' hold.

"You okay, Kid?" asked Spider-Man.

"That guy must have some serious military training or something," Kid Arachnid commented. "I fought him for minutes and you took him down in seconds. Makes me wonder how I survived a warehouse full of demons."

"Well, you don't have the Parker luck," said Spider-Man.

Suddenly, the agent escaped. Whatever gear he stuffed in his armor, it's really helpful against webs. The agent was about to fire his rifle again, until...

FWOOF!

A smoke bomb detonates and covers nearly the entire block with a smokescreen. Everyone looks around to see where it came from. No one could see. Nobody moved, although the police started calling for backup. The smokescreen surrounds everyone for a really long time. Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid stayed close to each other, preparing for a surprise attack. The agent seemed more concerned about the smokescreen rather than the heroes and the police.

"Don't move," said Spider-Man.

"Unless my Spider Sense goes off?" asked Kid Arachnid.

"Unless your Spider Sense goes off," Spider-Man answered.

And then everyone heard the sound of something landing on the road. Something invisible. That something then turned visible. Guess who it was? Silver hair. Silver coat. Silver Kevlar top. Silver tights. Silver boots. Silver guns. Silver earrings.

"Sable?" Spider-Man reacted, surprised.

"Nice entrance," said Kid Arachnid.

"She's not just the Queen of Symkaria, man," said Spider-Man. He remembered when he called Silver the _Queen of Making Entrances_.

Silver grabs her pistols and aims them at the agent. She quickly pulls the triggers and fires. The agent anticipated this and jumped out of the way. He couldn't dodge the next pair of blasts. They hit him square in the chest. His body armor protected him, but it still hurt. Silver walks towards him as he gets back up.

"Your Highness," the agent mocked.

The agent throws a punch, but Silver dodges it. She punches him in three specific points on his upper body before kicking him in the knee. He tries to shoot her, but she grabs him arm and wraps her leg around his head. She does a series of spinning (she almost looked like she's break-dancing) and throws him at a mailbox.

"Wow," Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid said at the same time.

"You, uh, need a little help?" asked Spider-Man.

"He's mine," said Silver.

The agent grabs his bigger gun and fires shock bolas, but Silver tumbles out of the way. She blasts the gun off the agent's hands and then shoots both of his feet. While the agent cries in pain, Silver charges at him. She jumps, spins in the air, and lands a pretty brutal kick to the head.

"Wow again," said the two spider-themed heroes and some officers.

"She's good," said an officer, impressed.

"She kicked both our butts," Kid Arachnid informed.

"What is going on, ma'am?" Sargent Regent asked.

"This is my business, Sargent," said Silver.

"You're not supposed to be here," said Regent. "Not to sound disrespectful, your majesty, but need I remind you of that Financial District shootout?"

"I came here for my own reasons, Sargent. I don't need you to remind me of my mistakes," said Silver. "I will not be here for long."

"Okay, how about we act more civilized here?" Spider-Man suggested.

"I think I'll let the adults talk," Kid Arachnid said, stepping back.

While the Princess of Symkaria and the Police Sargent argue with Spider-Man caught in the middle, three of the officers approach the not-so-unconscious agent with their guns pointed at him. Silver noticed them and panicked.

"Wait, don't!" She shouted.

Too late. The agent detonated a smoke grenade of his own and vanished. Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid leaped on top of the buildings and checked the nearest alleyways, but they couldn't find the agent. They returned to Silver and Regent to report.

"He's gone," said Spider-Man.

"Didiskoya!" Silver cursed.

"Sable, answers, please," Spider-Man pleaded.

"That man is from Symkaria. He stole armor and weapons from both Sable International and U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M," said Silver.

"But why is he here, in New York of all places?" asked Spider-Man.

"That's what I'm trying to find out," said Silver. "But thanks to you and your officers, Sargent, I cannot get those answers now."

"So, let me guess. You're staying here to hunt him down?" Spider-Man guessed.

"I have to go to City Hall. I'm certain Mayor Sarkissian would not welcome my return," said Silver.

"No kidding," said Regent.

"Well, in that case, welcome back to Manhattan, Your Highness," Spider-Man said formally. "Feel free to stay as long as you want."

"Spider-Man," an officer called. She gave him her radio. "It's the Commissioner."

 _"I heard your interfered," said Jessica Drew, via radio._

"Hey, the crime attacked my friend first. I wasn't gonna leave him just because you would order me to," said Spider-Man. "This is about having your partner's back. I'm sure your boys and girls in blue can understand that."

 _"And the attacker got away, as I was told," said Jessica._

Silver steals the radio and says, "My fault. He's here because of me."

 _"Ah, Princess Silver. I was told you were here," said Jessica._

"The stranger is my business. If Spider-Man is to be involved in my mission, then I will grant him permission to be involved, even if your officers are present," said Silver.

 _"Wow, aren't you the protective girlfriend?" Jessica responded mockingly._

Silver returns the radio to the officer and walks away, heading off to City Hall to speak with Mayor Sarkissian. She calls for her jet, which turned visible (it was invisible the whole time), and hops in.

* * *

Silver Sable arrives at City Hall. This isn't the first time she came here to see the new mayor. A few months ago, when she took part in a civilian-threatening battle with the Demons, Sarkissian called her to City Hall to discuss about unannounced visits. The meeting ended with Silver punching Sarkissian's bodyguard in the face. So, it's safe to say that Sarkissian and Sable are not very fond of each other.

"Hold it, ma'am," said the bodyguard.

"Do you want another black eye?" Silver threatened.

She recognized the bodyguard. The bodyguard just stepped aside and allowed Silver walk into the mayor's office. Ophelia stood up and looked at the princess with subtle contempt on her face. It's not like Silver can't see it, though.

"Your Highness," Ophelia greeted with formality and mockery.

"Madame Mayor," Silver greeted with mild scorn.

"So, once again, you show up in my city without warning," said Ophelia.

"The man who attacked Kid Arachnid, he's from my country," said Silver. "His intentions, motive, all unknown. I did not have time to announce my visit."

"I heard he got away," said Ophelia. "So, I'm guessing this means you're staying again. Just for one man."

"He did more than just steal my weapons. He sold them to terrorists from Africa. The Avengers and King T'Challa have offered to handle that matter for me, but I could not let this one man slip away just because he appears small in the picture," said Silver. "I cannot allow him to have even one piece of my equipment with him."

"Hammerhead all over again," Ophelia commented. "Are you sure this isn't personal? You could've sent The Avengers or a few of your agents after this man. What about the war in your country?"

"U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.'s defeat is close," said Silver. "Only Rogers, Romanoff, and a select few of American soldiers left Symkaria to aid Wakanda. The rest, as well as the many armies assisting Sable International, they are enough to have U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. outnumbered and overpowered. I can spare some time here in Manhattan. Unless it's a problem for you."

"Last time you were here, you endangered innocent lives just to reclaim your equipment from Hammerhead's men," Ophelia reminded. "The repairs for the Financial District were not cheap."

"I cannot promise there will be no more damage," said Silver. "But I will ensure the safety of the people in this city."

"Can I take your word for it?" asked Ophelia.

"No," Silver answered bluntly. "But I am not leaving and we both know you can't make me. Unless you are planning on trying. I know you've have tons of self-defense training throughout the years."

"Tempting, but that is not fitting behavior of the mayor," said Ophelia. "One strike, Sable. That's all you get. One. It's straight to the President if you violate that one strike."

Yet another infamous meeting from the past she remembered. Unannounced visits to Manhattan not only get the mayor's attention but also the president's. At least that meeting went smoother. No one's face got punched. She just had to say the right words while still sounding like herself.

"I have a feeling you would rather take care of me yourself," Silver said suspiciously.

"Are you insinuating something, Ms. Sable?" Ophelia accused calmly.

"I simply do not believe a woman who holds power so gladly like yours would be satisfied with delegation," said Silver.

"I'll remember those words if you ever cross that one strike," Ophelia threatened primly. "Now, leave. I have other matters that require my attention."

"So do I," Silver replied.

Silver leaves the mayor's office, having made her point clear. She gave the bodyguard her own version of what people call "the stink eye" before departing. The bodyguard won't show it on his face, but he was truly intimidated.

As she walked out of City Hall, Silver can't help but feel that there's something off about the new mayor. People will call her a tough politician, but a person like Silver - who has been acquainted with several political leaders - knows the difference between a politician wearing tough armor and someone who wears the title "tough politician" as a disposable sweater.

If Silver knew what Sarkissian did to Yuri...

RING-RING!

Spider-Man called. Of course he'd call her instead of talking to her. Maybe a part of Silver now regretted the public kiss. Then again, she was too caught up in the moment to remember that the camera was still on.

 _"So, uh, how did it go with the mayor?" Spider-Man asked rather nervously._

"You're suspicious of her, aren't you?" Silver guessed.

 _"Are you sure you're not secretly a mind-reading mutant?" Spider-Man joked._

"I still have your blood running in my system. Does that make me part-mutant?" Silver joked back.

 _"Funny," Spider-Man replied. "Okay, yes. I, uh... it's just... something's not right about her."_

"Care to clarify, Spider-Man?" asked Silver.

 _"Okay, I told you about what happened to Yuri, right? But what I didn't tell you is that Sarkissian was a part of the reason why she resigned from the police force," Spider-Man revealed. "My identity for her job. That's what the mayor offered Yuri. Yuri chose to protect me instead. Trust me, the way Sarkissian sounded when she told Yuri she wanted me out of the streets, it's like we have another Norman Osborn... if not worse."_

"Then we will both be on our guard," said Silver.

 _"So, welcome back to New York again, I guess," said Spider-Man. "Are you sure you wanna abandon the war in your country?"  
_

"If you knew what my returns means to me, then you would understand why I had to leave," said Silver. "But I trust my men and all the allies who have come to my aid to end the fight."

 _"It's just... you're not the type to put yourself over your country," said Spider-Man._

"I know," said Silver. "I will see you soon."

* * *

As the night comes, the mysterious new vigilant, whose real name is Yuri, comes out of her hiding place. But she wasn't looking for a Maggia thug to kill tonight. No, she was at an abandoned warehouse (wearing a balaclava just in case) testing out some new gear. Black Cat's grapple, which she modified herself (a few internet tips help, sometimes). She needed to ready herself for bigger challenges. She's not just going after the Maggia. She's going after every criminal that has taken innocent lives. Should she ever face a challenge bigger than a two-bit thug with a gun, then she has to be ready.

"Let's see if this works," said Yuri.

Yuri gazes up at a steel beam close to the ceiling. She's grappled onto things before, but she needed new tricks. All the excessive workouts she's been taking, it's to prepare her for something like what she's about to do.

"Deep breaths, Yuri," she said to herself.

Yuri grapples onto the beam and propels herself upwards, but she didn't stop at the beam. She leaps over it, turns around, and swings the other way. She retracts the grapple hook and quickly fires it at the wall, grappling herself towards it. She attempts to wall-run, but it only ended with her falling off and crashing onto a crate. The landing was rough, for sure.

"Wow, some landing."

Yuri froze for a second and turned to the direction where the voice came from. It seems Silver Sable isn't the only powerful woman making a return to NYC today. Black Cat herself has arrived.

"When I heard someone was using grapple tech similar to mine, they're weren't kidding," said Black Cat. "Although, now I'm beginning to regret feeling scared by you."

Black Cat approaches the injured vigilante and tries to take her tech back. Yuri responds by kicking Black Cat away from her.

"Okay, you got fight in you. I like that," said Black Cat. "But I'm not leaving here without my stuff... and maybe some of your stuff."

Yuri takes out her gun and points it at Black Cat before she could do anything.

"Leave," Yuri insisted.

"If you wish," Black Cat said with a deceitful smile.

Black Cat slowly steps back with her hands in the air, only to quickly detonate a smoke bomb. Yuri reacts quickly and fires multiple times, but all she hit are wood and steel. Black Cat attacks Yuri from behind and tackles her to the ground. Yuri tries kicking and punching Black Cat off her, but the black-suited vigilante was too quick and resilient.

"Too slow," Black Cat taunted.

Black Cat fires her grapple hook right past Yuri. With Yuri's eyes distracted by the grapple "missing" her, Black Cat propels herself forward and kicks Yuri down. Yuri lies down holding her stomach, unable to get up at the moment.

"Yup, definitely regret being scared of you," Black Cat repeated.

"Think again," said Yuri.

Yuri takes out a small bomb and throws it at Black Cat. The bomb releases green gas that disorients Black Cat and distorts her vision. The vigilante in front of her turns into something else. Someone familiar. That someone looks at her with a regretful look on "his" face. Walter Hardy.

"Dad?" Black Cat muttered.

"Felicia," said Walter.

"But... wha... what are you doing here?" Black Cat asked, scared and confused by what she is seeing.

"I'm sorry," said Walter.

Suddenly, Walter gets shot in the back. He couldn't say anything as he drops to his knees and falls. Black Cat drops down on all fours as the grief in her heart reawakened. She doesn't know what she was seeing, whether it's real or not, but her emotions were overwhelming her. The grief she felt after finding out her father died in prison, she's been trying to bury it for years. Yet, here she is, shedding tears like she's never done before.

"No, no, this isn't real," she told herself.

When she raised her head and looked at her "father's dead body," the body turned into smoke and reanimated into the vigilante. The vigilante punches her in the face. Black Cat lies down with a gun aimed at her head. Yuri, however, hesitated to pull the trigger.

"You're a thief, not a murderer," Yuri said.

"You'd be surprised," Black Cat replied.

"And you have someone who actually cares about you," Yuri remembered.

"Some of Hammerhead's men had families, but you didn't care," said Black Cat.

"I'm letting you go," said Yuri. "But don't ever give me reason to come after you."

Yuri knocks out Black Cat by pistol-whipping her across the face.

"That is a nice suit," said Yuri. "Form-fitting. Functional. Helps with traversal. Maybe I'll need something like that."

Yuri leaves the warehouse, abandoning the unconscious Black Cat. Yuri now knows what she needs to literally take herself to new heights. Working out can only get her so far, but a special suit like Spider-Man's and his enemies' might give her the advantage she needs. Question is, where is she gonna get the tech for a suit like that? _I'll find a way_ , she thought.

* * *

In the Symkarian Embassy, Silver sat on her desk with a set of earpieces plugged into her ears. War barely gives her time to sit down and relax, but now she can listen to her music without much worry. True, she is worried about her country, but the Avengers and other countries have promised to help her end the U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. threat. Her worries were cut short when she received a notification from her podcast app. Jameson just released a new episode of Just the Facts. She can only guess what or who it's about.

 _"Do you ever feel like something unfortunate that happens to you more than once has basically become a running gag in your life?" Jameson started. "Well, New York has its own running gags. No, I'm not talking about Spider-Man's strange antics, whether it's chasing pigeons or destroying pavements. And no, I'm not talking about Kid Arachnid's luck with tank truck chases. No, I'm talking about how an international mercenary's visits to our fair city always result in chaos. You know who I'm talking about. Her majesty herself, Silver Sable."_

Silver rolls her eyes. But, hey, she knew it was gonna be about her.

 _"Once again, the monarch of Symkaria has graced her presence to our city by getting into a fight that could've endangered the lives of not just innocent citizens but also the men and women in the force. According to my sources, some idiot seemingly stole technology from both Sable International and U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. and Silver Sable is here to hunt him down. Okay, I get she gets angry when someone touches her toys. But don't you think she could've handled this manner in a more delicate if still violent way. Like NOT shooting laser blasters inside a smokescreen when there's a 101% possibility of a bystander getting shot if she missed! According to Mayor Sarkissian, she's gonna be sticking around for who knows how long. And considering she, if I need to remind you, ALMOST DEMOLISHED THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT IN HER LAST VISIT, be on your guard. Bow down to her if you have to, but keep your distance. Although, I heard she hates it when people bow to her. Isn't that weird, Jared?"_

Silver shuts off her phone just as someone in the corner appeared before her. Deactivating his stealth tech is the thief himself. The one who fought Spider-Man, Kid Arachnid, Silver Sable, and the cops earlier. The thief takes off his helmet and nods.

"You were listening were you not?" Silver asked, wondering why the agent did not bow.

"Jameson is... an _interesting_ study," said the agent.

"Thank you," said Silver. "I know I was asking too much."

"For you, Your Highness, I would do anything," said the agent. "Especially after you saved me from Morgenthau."

"Leave the weapons in the next room, and then return to Symkaria, if you wish," Silver ordered.

"As you wish," the agent obeyed.

While the agent relinquishes the "stolen" tech, Silver receives a phone call from an Avenger. It was from Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow. She stares out the window dramatically as she answers.

"Agent Romanoff," Silver greeted.

 _"Your Highness," Natasha greeted with mild annoyance in her voice._

"I already know what you're going to say," said Silver.

 _"That those terrorists were just African soldiers you secretly asked for assistance? That they lead us to actual terrorists targeting Wakanda?" Natasha replied, ticked off._

"I apologize for my lies, but I had my reasons," said Silver.

 _"Cap and I just heard that you returned to New York," said Natasha. "And that agent who stole and sold your tech, he was there as well. Coincidence?"_

"Whatever you're insinuating, Ms. Romanoff, I mean no harm to anyone who don't deserve it," said Silver.

 _"Oh, I believe you want only what's good for your people," said Natasha. "But something tells me this isn't about your people."_

"If you know what's good for you, Agent, you will stay out of my way," Silver threatened.

 _"Don't worry. We got Morgenthau and his goons to keep us busy," said Natasha. "But you owe us an explanation."_

"In a matter of months," Silver promised.

Silver hangs up. She was barely fazed, since she knew her lies and deception would come back to her. But she couldn't let anyone know of the reason for her stay in New York, not yet. Speaking of that reason, the only evidence of it is in some file she brought along with her. It was the results of a medical test she took back in Symkaria two months ago.

According to the paper, she was fine, except...

 _\- Pregnancy [POSITIVE] -_

Silver's hand shakes just reading the word. She throws the paper across the room like a boomerang. Thanks to the laws of physics, the paper didn't fly far and descended slowly. Silver, however, destroys the paper with one shot from her energy pistol.

"Damn you, Zemo," she cursed.

 **Okay, before you leave a review, let me explain myself. First of all, I'd like to give a special shout-out to roxasduelwielder. I promised I would consider your suggestion of making Silver a mother and now it's happening. Of course, finding a way to make it happen without Peter cheating on MJ was difficult.**

 **Before your draw up a conclusion, be sure to think about these three things concerning Silver's pregnancy:**

 **1\. Silver's words at the end**

 **2\. The timeline (two months later & two months ago)**

 **3\. Spidey's kidnapping**

 **Again, this is my paranoia talking. Hey, I'm the one who chose to agree with the suggestion of Silver being a mother. I'm just worried about HOW I'm doing it. If I went too far (if you guessed the right answer, that is), then feel free to tell me that this should be Rated M.**

 **And please don't be afraid to tell me what else you thought about this chapter (just no requests - I'm tired of repeating myself).**


	30. No Toying Around

**Have you seen the movie _Memento_? 'Cause I haven't. But I did see an episode of Phineas & Ferb that was based on that movie and it blew my mind. I thought I'd give the whole "backwards narrative structure" thing a try, even if I'm afraid I'll screw it up.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: gammaxmen80, Knox, roxasduelwielder, Vanitas50 or Shadow25, SilverCat, Artemis Fowl IX, God Awful, Spideysquad, JackTom, Bismarck Alexander, Alf768, HansBane, K2-Black-Panther**

 ** _To Knox_: Calm down. I'm just addressing the whole Avengers issue, just in case someone brings it up. I'm still keeping them on the sidelines. I've made it clear who I want this story to focus on. But since you asked, the most likely Avenger to be included next might be Captain America.**

 ** _To Vanitas50 or Shadow25_: Well, out of all the guesses, yours is the closest to the truth. I just won't say how close.**

 ** _To Frank20001023 and Silver Cat_: Oo-kay. Understandable, I guess.**

 ** _To God Awful_: Well, when it comes to "Normal Day in New York", I can just relax and write. That's why it's fun.**

 ** _To JackTom_: A pretty dark and dramatic theory, if I must say.**

 ** _To Alf768_: I was afraid everyone would think that (and some apparently do, as expected). Frankly, I'm scared of what everyone would think after I reveal all the answers.**

 ** _To K2-Black-Panther_: Okay, that's TMI. TMI! PS4's Silver Sable is beautiful, but... TMI.**

 _"Have you ever felt like you've had a really bad day?" Spider-Man narrated. "I mean, most of my days start out just fine and then the occasional crime or supervillainy shows up to ruin it. But today, it just got weird. The day starts out just like any other day for your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Spider-Man just doing whatever a Spider-Man does. Just being the Spectacular Spider-Man. And then the dominoes start toppling over. The not-good types of dominoes. Think of these dominoes as not-so-good occurrences. One event after another, it gets worse and worse, until..."_

At the Toying Around toy story...

Spider-Man is lying down on a pile of plush dolls, suffering from a stab wound to the gut.

Miles is in a Spider-Man mascot suit fighting a glowy-eyed Mary Jane Watson.

Howard and one his pigeons are locked inside of a playhouse.

Silver Sable is using toys - plastic bullets, plastic golf clubs, etc. - to defend herself from Demons dressed as clowns.

"Spider-Man, how closer are we to safety?" Howard asked from inside the playhouse.

"Not close as I hoped, Howard," Spider-Man grunted, still in pain. "You and Pidgy stay put. It's still pretty violent here, in a kid-friendly sort of way. Yet, for some reason, I'm not laughing. And it's not just because I got stabbed... ow!"

Miles, still in the Spidey mascot suit, is having a plastic sword fight with MJ, who is under the Demons' mind control. Miles was holding back, but MJ wasn't. Her fast swings were causing Miles to step back aimlessly and lose balance. He tried so hard to stay on his feet. The mascot uniform is pretty bulky after all. After failing to strike Miles several times, MJ goes for a spinning jump kick to the face (or the mascot suit's face, to be specific). Miles is finally knocked down and on his back.

"Where did she learn how to do that?" Miles reacted, awestruck.

Silver Sable is using toy guns to combat the Demons, much to her embarrassment (all becauseh her pistols are not with her right now). She's emptied about seven toy guns worth of plastic ammo at this point. She had to drop an entire shelf of toys on Demon Number... 12. Yup, there's 12 unconscious Demons in this toy story. Only 4 to go. Silver kicks a quad bike at Demon #13, tripping him and making him fall on his face (or mask). She kicks Demon #14 twice in the torso before kicking him hard against the counter, knocking him out.

"This is not how I wanted to spend my evening," Silver complained.

"Me too," said the cashier.

"I will pay for the damages," said Silver.

"Uh, that's okay. We were expecting new deliveries anyway," said the cashier.

Spider-Man tries to get back up, but his wound is too fatal for him to move right now. All he can do is lie down and let his superhuman healing abilities do its work. Miles is still in the mascot suit and Silver has had enough of using toys to fight.

"How did all this happen?" He wondered.

* * *

 ** _Ten minutes earlier..._**

It was particularly quiet in Toying Around. Just a few children and their parents shopping for toys. The cashier sits behind the counter reading a Spider-Man comic. Kiddie music played through the AP system. Yup, it's just an ordinary night in Toying Around.

That is, until a Spider-Man mascot comes crashing through the front door as if someone or something threw it in. The mascot almost crashes into one of the families inside. Fortunately, they're safe. Unfortunately, the guy inside the Spidey mascot uniform is in pain, as clearly stated by the "ow" that he uttered. Just as the cashier was about to ask, more unexpected visitors came in. Clowns wearing Demon masks. Leading them is a big one, a brute.

"Uh, welcome to Toying Auradon toy shop, where we don't toy around and make sure you are free to toy around all day long...?" The cashier said the slogan, all the while hiding behind the counter.

The Demons approach the man in the Spidey mascot suit while all the families run away. However, they were ignoring a hostage. It was Howard, holding one of his pigeons close to him. The pigeon's name is Pidgy. He did not fight, knowing he can't escape this.

"Bu zai shi xiaochoule ( _No more clowning around_ )," said the Demon Brute.

"Zhe shifou yiweizhe xiaochou dahui jieshule? ( _Does that mean the clown convention is over?_ )"

The Demons turn around only to get hit by a smoke pellet, thrown by Silver Sable. She had a few bruises on her skin and some dirt on her clothes, but she was too angry to care. Silver runs into the smokescreen and attacks the brute first. One flying kick to the chest and a roundhouse kick to the face. The Demon brute grabs Silver by the shoulder and goes for a negatively-charged punch to the stomach. For some reason, it didn't hurt Silver much and the brute actually hurt his hand.

Silver was wearing something underneath her silver top. Considering what she is "carrying," she wanted to be sure "it" was safe.

"I apologize, little one," she mumbled. "But I cannot ignore this."

While Silver fights the Demon brute, Spider-Man swings into the store to contain the situation (having heard about it through the police scanner just now). He web-snatches Demons #2 and #3 and throws them to a wall, causing some toys to fall from shelves in the result.

"I'll clean that up later," Spider-Man said to the cashier.

"Spider-Man!" Howard called.

"Howard?! What are you doing here?" Spider-Man wondered. "Never mind. Later. Just duck."

As Howard ducks, Spider-Man fires a web shot at the face of the Demon holding Howard hostage. Spider-Man webs up a playhouse and safely drops it over Howard, locking him inside so he can be safe. Safe. Is that the right word to use?

"Don't move," said Spider-Man.

"Look out!" The cashier shouted.

Too late. Spider-Man's Spider Sense goes off too late, as he had already been stabbed through the gut by a sword. Turning around to see who stabbed him, he was shocked to find out that it was...

"MJ?"

MJ didn't look right. Her skin and eyes were glowing like those of whom Mister Negative has corrupted. Question is, how? Spider-Man couldn't ask as MJ kicked him away and he ended up bumping into a shelf of plush toys. The shelf collapses and buries Spider-Man in a pile of plushies. One was a Spider-Plushie.

"Hey, little guy," Spider-Man joked, despite the pain. "How's your day going... ow."

Demon #4 was about to attack Spider-Man with his negatively-charged axe. Spider-Man tried to move, but it only worsened the pain of his injury.

"No!" Miles cried.

Miles runs towards Demon #4 and jumps as high as he can, bellyflopping the Demon. Well, it worked. The Demon is unconscious. Unfortunately, Miles can't get up. The mascot's arms don't bend, for one thing. So, he just rolls around, bumping into toys and shelves in an effort to find a way to get back up.

Silver had just taken a toy gun and started blasting plastic bullets at the Demons. Oddly enough, it sorta works. Just get in close range (about 5-8 feet) and fire rapidly. She also fires at their hands to hurt them and make them drop their weapons. Once they were unarmed, she whacks them in the face with the toy gun before kicking them to unconsciousness. Unfortunately, she ran out of ammo.

"Why do I use this?" Silver growled at herself.

"We have a brand new N-Strike Omega Rapid-Fire on the top shelf," the cashier informed her.

Silver dodges the Demons as she grabs the rapid-fire toy rifle. She fully loads it with bullets and starts firing. The rapid-firing plastic projectiles overwhelm the Demons, so much so that they stagger backward and trip themselves on toys, kiddie rides, among other things.

"Sable? How?" Spider-Man wondered.

* * *

 ** _Five minutes earlier..._**

Silver was riding on her brand new motorcycle. It was silver, of course. She thought that her Sable International APC, while safe and heavily-armed, would alarm the citizens. They already went back to disliking/fearing her after the whole "Financial District Shootout" incident. So, she bought a Kawasaki-branded motorcycle and painted it silver to get around the city without looking threatening. And, of course, her helmet is silver.

She planned to eat out so she rides to where she wants to have dinner. Just when she thought her ride would be peaceful, something happened.

Arriving at an intersection, she sees a Spider-Man mascot running away from something. It ran fast for a bulky suit, she noticed. _What is he running from_ , Silver wondered. She was too busy looking right that she didn't notice what's at her left. Gunfire sent her and her motorcycle tumbling off the road. Silver walks away with a few bruises and some dirt on her person, but she - and the baby - are fine.

"Demons? Chasing a mascot? What kind of city is this?" Silver wondered, bewildered.

* * *

 ** _Three minutes earlier..._**

Miles, in a Spider-Man mascot, was climbing up an abandoned warehouse filled with Demons. It was supposed to be a simple stealth mission. Take pictures of the Demons and then report back to Peter. Besides, for some reason, he won't ditch the mascot uniform. He has to keep it on. And since Spider-Man is on the other side of town, someone has to do this.

"Okay, Miles. Calm down.," Miles said quietly. "Peter asked you to check on these Demons. Don't engage them without him unless they move out. Easy peasy."

Miles opens the rooftop hatch to get a better view of the Demons. 15 of them. One is a big brute. They were all in clown suits.

"Did they just come back from a birthday party or something?" Miles joked.

The Demons seem to be moving some containers into the back of trucks. Two trucks, to be specific.

"Women you yige ruqin zhe ( _We have an intruder_ )," Demon #16 reported.

Demon #16 came in with Howard in his grasp. In Howard's possession is a pigeon. Pidgy, to be specific. Howard didn't do anything stupid like fight back or shout at the Demons. Instead, he accepted that he made a mistake. He just walked to where the Demon wanted him to walk to and remained silent.

"Wait, isn't that the pigeon guy? Howard, was it?" Miles wondered.

Miles leans down just to get a closer look, but the weight of the mascot's head forces him down into the hatch. And since the suit doesn't come with web shooters, he crashes on top of a wooden table, capturing the attention of all the Demons. Miles just lies there, not moving... as if that's gonna help him, right? Maybe he thought that if the Demons think there's nobody inside, they would leave and he can leave when they're gone. Stupid, but he tried.

But then someone in the crowd caught his attention. It was MJ, seemingly corrupted by Mister Negative's power.

"MJ? What is she doing here?" Miles wondered.

"Tuo xia mianju ( _Take off its mask_ )," one Demon ordered.

The Demon brute walks over to the mascot to pull off its mask.

"Dang it," Miles cursed silently.

Miles starts to move. He rolls to the right and bounces up. He manages to "headbutt" the Demon brute while in mid-air. Miles gets back at on his feet and super-jumps towards the hatch on the roof.

"Zai ta zhihou (After him)!" The Demon brute ordered.

"Where's Spider-Man when you need him?" Miles complained.

* * *

 ** _Two minutes earlier..._**

"So, will you check on the Demon warehouse for me?" Spider-Man asked through his comm-link.

 _"Already on my way there, Peter," said Miles._

"Thanks, Miles," said Spider-Man. "I'll catch up with you later. I've got to wring sand out of NYC's... everywhere."

The Sandman is back! He escaped The Raft and is on a sandy rampage in Harlem. He's currently a 40-foot tall sand beast blasting sand everywhere, most at him. Spider-Man swings around avoiding large piles of sand being thrown at him. The civilians within the area ran away from the fight (although some filmed the fight as they ran away from it; typical). Spider-Man fires Electric Webs to stun Sandman, but it was only working temporarily.

"Hey, Flint! If it helps, I'm sorry about dousing you with water last time. You were trying to kill me and I just wanted to stay alive," Spider-Man apologized, if a bit jokingly.

Sandman creates a bigger sandy fist and punches Spider-Man out of the air. Spider-Man crashes into a gaming shop. He just lies there for a while, thinking.

"I need a bigger charge," Spider-Man said to himself. "I can't just douse him with water without a distraction. But where am I gonna get something with a big charge."

"The generator on the roof probably has a big enough charge," said the shop owner, who is hiding behind the counter.

"What are you doing here?" Spider-Man wondered.

"I left my bag here," said the shop owner. "Go get him, Spider-Man!"

Spider-Man makes his way to the roof and opens the generator. He turns down the power a little before wiring it to his web shooters (otherwise, it would've shocked him and made him dance the lambada). He links the generator's power to his Electric Webs. His suit may have insulation, but not as powerful as the Electrically Insulated Suit, which he wishes he could be wearing right now. Unfortunately, Sandman has to be dealt with now, not later. He just has to hope he can walk away with slightly singed hair.

"Okay, Marko. Time for the shock of your life," said Spider-Man.

Aiming his web shooters at Sandman, who is still a giant sand monster, Spider-Man turns up the power of the generator. The electricity courses through the web shooter, shocking Spider-Man in the process. Spider-Man fires his web shooter. Instead of an Electric Web, a beam of electricity was shot at Sandman, who was just about to bring his gigantic sandy fist down on the wall crawler. The electricity hits his fist and it quickly turns into glass. Spider-Man uses his other web shooter to shoot a Concussive Blast, shattering the glass fist. Sandman screamed in pain.

"Sorry, Marko," Spider-Man apologized sincerely.

Spider-Man swings to a nearby building with a water tower. He punches a hole into the tower and water starts leaking out of the hole. The water falls on Sandman, solidifying his state. Spider-Man fires more Electric Webs at Marko, shocking him until he shrinks to normal size. Soon enough, he was back to human form.

"You bug," Marko cursed. "That hurt! A lot!"

"I said I was sorry," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man fires a Suspension Matrix and keeps Sandman suspended in mid-air. He was leaking some sand as he squirms in mid-air. Spider-Man scoops some of the sand and keeps it with him. Another vial to add to his backpack collection.

"Bad time to mention this to myself, but why hasn't MJ called?" Spider-Man wondered. "We were supposed to meet."

* * *

 _ **Two hours earlier...**_

MJ is tied up and held hostage in The Raft's interrogation room. In the room with her were Raft guards wearing sunglasses to cover their glowing eyes. They're Demons. _How did they get into the prison_ , she wondered. Considering that they broke out Shocker, Swarm, and Tombstone, she shouldn't be surprised. But with The Raft trying their best to tighten security because of these breakouts, that's how this infiltration gets confusing.

"Uh, mind if I at least get a cup of coffee?" MJ asked nervously. "Okay, I think Peter's rubbing off on me too much."

Two more Demons dressed as Raft guards entered the interrogation with a prisoner. That prisoner is none other than the man who leads the Demons. Martin Li.

"Mr. Li?" MJ reacted, confused.

"Hello, Ms. Watson," Martin greeted.

"You're taking control of the prison," MJ guessed.

"Straight the point. I admire that," said Martin. "But no. Not yet, at least. Let's just say someone else pulls the strings around here."

"Fisk," MJ guessed.

"Smart girl. I can see why Peter likes you," said Martin.

"Don't talk about him as if you still care," MJ growled. "His aunt is gone because of what you started."

"I would tell you that her demise hurt me, but then you'd think I'm lying," said Martin. "Instead of sharing our griefs, let's share information. I know you're aware of part of my plans, Ms. Watson."

"You want to break out again," MJ said.

"In a matter of speaking," said Martin.

"I know about the stolen tech, Martin," said MJ. "Those _clowns_ you sent to retrieve them, not really funny. Well, not as funny as their clown getup."

"I'm not responsible for whatever bizarre tactic they used to acquire what you claim they stole," said Martin.

"I think you're using that tech to escape," MJ assumed.

"Ah, and that's the problem. You don't know what I really have in mind. And you can't tell anyone without proof. Unfortunately, you won't be walking about here with any."

"'Cause I won't live to get some?" MJ guessed.

"Peter's lost enough people in his life. No, I think it's for the best you to leave," said Martin.

"Well, seeing as I have no choice," MJ said sarcastically.

"No, you really don't," Martin said deviously.

Martin's entire body starts glowing. He's wearing the face of Mister Negative. He walks over to MJ and touches her shoulder, spreading his power to hers. Pretty soon, MJ was completely under Martin Li's control. She has been corrupted.

"Take her to the team outside. Tell them to keep her with them for the whole night. Then take her to this address," Martin ordered.

* * *

 _ **Thirty minutes earlier...**_

MJ had just arrived at The Raft. She somehow managed to convince the warden to arrange a meeting between her and one of the inmates. Considering what she discovered earlier today, this demanded her attention. Warden Locke was very reluctant, but MJ gave him little to no choice. The Daily Bugle's associate editor is very persuasive, he'll give her that.

"I don't like this," said Locke.

"I know, but this is really important," said MJ.

"You think Martin Li is behind this?" asked Locke.

"It's Demons. I'm sure it is," MJ said bluntly.

"So long as I'm there to witness the interview," said Locke. "Who knows? You could need some extra persuading if he gets difficult."

"I prefer it doesn't come to that. I'd hate to tell my boyfriend," said MJ. "He... he saw Li as family before he ended up here. He was really hurt to find out who he really is."

"I pity anyone who was friends with that guy," said Locke.

Suddenly, the alarms go off.

 _"ATTENTION, ALL SECURITY! ATTENTION, ALL SECURITY! FLINT MARKO HAS ESCAPED! I REPEAT, THE SANDMAN IS LOOSE!"_

"Oh, great," Locke complained. "Not another one."

"This place needs better security," MJ commented.

"The security is better," Locke claimed.

Unexpectedly, a prison guard whacked Locke in the back of the head with a gun. This prison guard then points his gun at MJ. MJ can see something strange with his eyes. They were glowing. _Martin Li is behind this_ , she thought.

"Nice job, Mary Jane," MJ scolded herself.

* * *

 **Three hours earlier...**

MJ was watching some kid's birthday party from another building. She used her binoculars to spy on it. The party took place on a balcony, so it was out in the open. Why was MJ spying on a bunch of kids? Well, it wasn't the kids she was spying on. It was the clowns. Three of them. She followed them from some abandoned warehouse. A truck full of clowns (about sixteen), which is weird. When she got a good look at the eyes of one of the clowns, she deduced that...

"They're Demons," she said.

MJ had to go back to acting casual just in case someone could see her spying on the party. She brought a book (which was really just her journal) and a smoothie. Nothing says casual more than reading a book while sipping a smoothie.

"The father of the birthday boy is an Oscorp scientist, right?" MJ thought out loud. "What do the Demons want with him?"

MJ's thinking was interrupted when her phone rang. It was a call from Peter.

"Hey, Pete," MJ answered.

 _"Hey, MJ," Peter said strenuously._

"Out for swing?" MJ guessed. She could tell how Peter's voice sounds like when he's calling while swinging.

 _"I just wanted to know if we're still good for tonight," said Peter._

"Definitely," MJ said confidently, certain she can finish her investigation by date night. "But I suspect you need something else than assurance."

 _"Howard's gone missing," said Peter. "Someone at F.E.A.S.T. told me - told Peter Parker, to be specific - that Howard lost one of his pigeons and now he's looking for him."_

"Why would he go off on his own? What about his bad leg?" asked MJ.

 _"He thought searching for one pigeon won't hurt him," said Peter. "Anyway, just let me know if you see him."_

"Okay," said MJ. "But I need a favor from you too."

 _"Anything, honey," said Peter._

"Let's just say the Demons are either _clowning_ around at the moment," said MJ. "I may need you to look into something for me about them."

 _"Just let me know what you find. And be careful," said Peter._

"By the way, did you see that picture of Miles in that Spider-Man mascot?" asked MJ.

 _"Wait, really?" Peter reacted. He didn't know about this until now. "What's that all about?"_

"I have no idea," said MJ.

* * *

 **Forty-five minutes earlier...**

In Miles' school, at the gym, Miles is suiting up. But not into his Kid Arachnid suit. No, he was getting into the school's mascot uniform. A mascot that looks like Spider-Man, white spider and everything. Janice and the cheer team were there, waiting for him to finish suiting up. Miles comes out of the dressing room dressed in the mascot uniform.

"Oh, yeah," Miles said excitedly. "Behold! Midtown High's brand new face."

"Hope you're up to the task, Miles," said the leader of the cheer team.

"Oh, he's definitely up to it," said Janice.

"Okay, girls. Let's practice," said the cheer team leader.

While the cheer team prepare to get ready, Janice and Miles have a moment alone.

"It's kinda bulky, isn't it?" Janice commented.

"Hey, the bigger, the better," said Miles. "Although, I wish the arms can bend."

"Good luck out there, Kid Arachnid," Janice said with a motivating tone.

"Shh, shh. Secret identity, remember?" Miles said.

Janice laughs and plants a kiss on the mascot's face. It might as well be their first lip-to-lip kiss, if Miles wasn't wearing a big and bulky Spidey mask.

"Although, something's not right about this suit," said Miles.

"Miles!"

Anya Corazon comes running in. She gasped with horror due to the sight of the Spider-Man mascot.

"Oh, no! I'm too late," Anya said worriedly.

"What is it, Anya?" asked Janice.

"Bobby and Tanner. They sabotaged the mascot uniform," said Anya.

"What?! What did they do?" asked Miles.

"You're stuck, aren't you?" Anya replied.

Miles tried to take off the suit, even going as far as to try and shake the head lose. It wasn't working. Bobby and Tanner used super strong glue on the mascot. They didn't just glue the head shut. They coated the entire interior of the suit with glue. _Why didn't my Spider Sense warn me_ , Miles wondered.

"Aw, man," Miles complained.

* * *

 _ **Back to the Present**_

Spider-Man starts getting up despite the pain of his wound. He had to save Miles. MJ was about to strike him down with a real sword. Spider-Man fires a web shot, knocking the sword off MJ's hands. Angered, Corrupted MJ approaches Spider-Man with that angry look on her face. It's only reminding Spider-Man of the time he interfered with her conversation with Charles Standish. Only, this time, she's trying to hurt - possibly kill - him.

"MJ, stop," Spider-Man begged. "You're corrupted. You don't want to kill me."

MJ punches him in the face.

"Did Li give her an extra dose of Vitamin Negative or something?" Miles wondered jokingly.

"I'm dying here," Spider-Man scolded.

"I'll get up if I can," said Miles. "When I get my hands on Bobby and Tanner... aw, I can't even get payback on them."

Silver, meanwhile, is taking care of the last two Demons. She pushes them away from her with some swift and well-placed kicks. She decides to get "childish" just one more time. She grabs a toy bow and arrow. She fires at Demon #15 and the toy arrow sticks to his mask. The arrow, however, was tied to a four-wheeled kiddie bike. One powerful kick to the bike's rear and the Demon's face is smashed down to the floor. Demon #16 reclaims his axe and charges, but Silver dodges his next swing by back-flipping to a trampoline. She leaps off the trampoline and knocks out Demon #16 with a deadly axe kick.

"Sable!" Miles called.

MJ grabs Spider-Man by the chest part of his suit and shakes him like some angry toddler. Silver shoves Spider-Man aside and does what she knows he would not like. Silver punches MJ hard in the side of her head, knocking her out.

"Sable!" Spider-Man scolded.

"I thought head trauma is the way to, as you say, snap them out of it," said Silver.

"Not head trauma, to be specific," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man runs towards MJ, bleeding wound and all, just to see if she was okay. She was unconscious for only a minute. She seemed fine. She had a mild bruise on her head, but her eyes were starting to return to their normal color. The head-ache did not help her with the "waking up" process.

"MJ, are you okay?" Spider-Man asked.

"I'm... I'm... my head hurts," MJ replied softly.

"My apologies, Ms. Watson," Silver apologized.

"Are you sure jealously didn't power that punch?" MJ joked.

"You have a bump on your head and you're cracking jokes?" Spider-Man questioned.

"I learned from the best," MJ replied with a little smile.

"Are you gonna be okay?" asked Spider-Man.

"I just need to sleep it off. I'll be fine," said MJ.

MJ then sees Spider-Man's wound. She suddenly remembered. She gave him that wound. She gasped and looked away from her boyfriend with shame.

"I didn't meant to... I... I'm sorry," MJ apologized.

"It's okay. I'll live. And it wasn't you. It was Li," said Spider-Man.

Miles finally gets up and frees Howard from the playhouse. He and Pidgy were fine. Howard holds Pidgy closely and gently as Miles helps him back on his feet. Howard needed time to shake off the fear.

"You're safe, mister," said Miles.

"Thanks, Miles," said Howard.

"Wait, how do you know it's me?" asked Miles.

"Your voice," Howard replied.

Miles can only be glad that he wasn't Kid Arachnid tonight. He's fine with Howard knowing he's inside this mascot uniform, but he didn't know yet if he could trust him with his big secret. Still, this is the second time someone knew it was him behind a mask because of his voice. Maybe a voice modulator is required.

"Your store is safe," Silver said to the cashier.

"Uh, thank you," said the cashier, trying to recover from the recent craziness.

"Go home. We will call the police and have them collect the Demons," said Silver.

"No," MJ panicked. "They can't be collected. They can't... not yet... no."

"Shh-shh-shh-shh-shh," Spider-Man shushed her calmly. "You need rest. And maybe some ice. I'll take you home."

"I will remain here and make sure the authorities handle this mess properly," Silver offered.

A still-hurt MJ holds on to Spider-Man as he swings his way back to her apartment. He had to take it easy with the swinging. He didn't want her to suffer from motion sickness. _Maybe we should just take a cab_ , he thought.

Back inside the toy store, Silver keeps an eye on all the Demons, making sure they remain unconscious by the time the authorities arrive. However, she was having a bit of a stomach. She's two months pregnant and still subjecting herself to these physically-demanding fights.

"Uh, Sable," Miles called. "Think you can help with this?"

"With what?" asked Silver.

"I'm stuck in this suit," Miles said candidly.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~** **SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Back at MJ's apartment, Peter makes MJ some warm soup. She was still reeling from the effects of Martin Li's powers... and Silver's punch. She had a bag of ice pressed against the bruise on her head. Judging by the look on her face, she still feels guilty about almost killing Peter. Before feeding her the soup, he wanted to reassure her.

"It wasn't you, MJ," Peter repeated.

"But it was me who used that sword," MJ said ashamedly.

"And I'm fine," Peter said, gesturing to his bandaged wound. "You have nothing to be sorry about."

"I'm the one who went into the heart of The Raft. I was brash and stupid," said MJ. "I should've expected more than just a clean in-and-out. I don't even have any proof that Li and Fisk are in control of the supermax prison."

"We'll stop them, MJ. We did it before. We can do it again," said Peter. "But right now, you have to focus on feeling better. That means no writing or going out. Just sit here and watch some TV - anything but the news - and just relax. Promise?"

"Way ahead of you," MJ replied softly.

"Hey," Peter said calmly. "MJ, look at me. I'm alive. I know it could've been worse, but there had to be a reason you didn't kill me right away. You knew I could survive that stab."

"So, you're saying my subconscious made me stab you in the gut instead of decapitating you?" MJ asked sarcastically.

"I fought back against Li's corruption. I have to believe a part of you was as well," said Peter.

"Easy for you to say. You're the one with the super blood," MJ said dismissively.

Peter was taken aback by her tone. MJ noticed how rude she was and how it affected Peter. She put the ice pack down for a second so she can have a (ironically) cooler head while talking to him.

"I'm sorry," MJ apologized. "I just... Li gets on my nerves. He hurt you and May so much that..."

"You wanna be sure he gets what he deserves," Peter guessed.

"Is The Raft enough, Pete?" MJ wondered. "Because all the breakouts the Demons have been causing, it's not looking good for them. All that increased security, Li and Fisk managed to tamper with it. Maybe Jameson is right about this one."

On cue, both their phones beeped due to the notification of Jameson's latest episode.

 _"Once again, there has been another breakout from The Raft," said Jameson. "Flink Marko, a.k.a. The Sandman, has broken free and turned Harlem into his own little sandbox. Now, I know what you're going to say. Spider-Man was there and he saved the day. I won't deny he did, but this is bigger than just a simple save-the-day scenario, people. From Shocker to Swarm to Tombstone, these supervillains are actually teaching us a valuable lesson. The Raft is not enough. As I keep telling all of you, keeping all these super-powered psychos in the same prison off the coast of Manhattan is a BAD idea. If The Raft's personnel or the mayor don't take care of this matter, then we're looking at another mass breakout. And after what happened during the Devil's Breath crisis, that is a horror we would rather not live through again."_

Just when it looked like Jameson was being completely serious in this episode, Jared happened.

 _"What is this... Jared! Why are you showing me pictures of this Spider-Man mascot?!" Jameson asked loudly. "I TOLD YOU WE WEREN'T GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT! Now, get out of my space before I send you to space! And I'll forbid my son from making your very first space tour a good time!"_

And that's the end for this episode.

"That aside, there's still one thing I don't get," said MJ.

"What is it?" asked Peter.

"Why would Li work with Fisk?" asked MJ. "Fisk kept him and his Demons underground. Is Li that desperate or have they come to a mutual agreement of some sort?"

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~** **SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Meanwhile, in The Raft, Wilson Fisk sat in his cell in silence. His cell door opens and in comes Martin Li. The guards (or Demons disguised as guards) lock the cell door while they talk. They even shut down the cameras watching this cell. Martin sits across Fisk, looking at him with doubt and contempt. Considering the "big man" himself is responsible for the extremely long delay of Martin's revenge, the look in his face was completely warranted.

"Ms. Watson still has no proof of our partnership," Martin started.

"I heard of her corruption, but she broke free," said Fisk.

"Without hard evidence, she can't breathe a word of what transpires here under everyone's nose," said Martin.

"I arranged for your Demons to become part of The Raft's so-called increased security. That is all you get from me," said Fisk. "As long as you uphold your end of our bargain."

"I destroy only Osborn, but New York will remain standing for you to reclaim control of. That is all I promise you," Martin said firmly and directly.

"Remember, Martin. I am not happy with this arrangement," said Fisk.

"Neither am I," Martin said contemptuously.

"You threatened my city with your war on Osborn. The only reason I agree to this partnership is because Osborn owes me a debt that cannot be paid with money," said Fisk.

"And you will get to see him pay his debt before I'm through with him," said Martin.

"I sense there's more than just a petty grudge that clouds your judgment," said Fisk.

"You are hiding something from me, Wilson," said Martin. "Secrets only tear bonds apart. I should know."

"You will know one day, if you wish to destroy Osborn," said Fisk.

Martin says nothing more and leaves Fisk's cell. Whatever Fisk is hiding from him, Martin will find out... if Fisk ever chooses to double-cross him. This partnership is made purely out of mutual grudges, not respect. Martin and Fisk constantly remind each other of that.

 **Expect the Raft breakout to come soon.**

 **So, what do you think? Leave a review and let me know what you think of the chapter (but NO requests).**


	31. Getting Your Wings

**One does not simply rush the development of a character, but that is exactly what I'm gonna do here... with multiple characters. Hey, I didn't have to succumb to pressure and paranoia that the readers wanted more than simple one-shots, but here we are. I don't know whose fault it is.**

 **Anyways, enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: Alf768, josephguy217, Spideysquad, Knox, K2-Black-Panther, God Awful**

 ** _To Alf768_: Well, thanks for reminding me. It's just that MJ was talking to Li, not Otto. And Li brought up Peter, which pushed MJ's buttons. In a butterfly effect kind of scenario, had Li never sought revenge on Norman, Otto wouldn't have been inspired.**

 ** _To Knox_: Well, in one episode of Jameson's podcast, he listed down adapted villains ("... maniacs who shoot electricity out of their eyes, walking piles of sand, NAZIS MADE OF BEES!") and the caller said, "Didn't Spider-Man put all those guys in prison?" I can only interpret is as Sandman is really in prison, but some of his sand was in Peter's possession. If the vial is opened, the sand might (emphasis on "might") go back to Sandman and probably break him out (maybe sand up the security of something). Also, I can't really keep answering your questions if it means I have to promise you that I will include more heroes/villains in the future. But it's obvious Green Goblin will be showing up soon.**

Not so long ago, Janice Connolly found out that Miles Morales is Kid Arachnid. She agreed to keep his secret on the condition that he would allow her to help him with his superheroics. She'll be his "girl in the chair," as she said. More specifically, she'll be sitting in her room at home communicating with Miles as she tracks his movement around the city. Thanks to Miles' technological expertise (plus a few tips from Peter), Janice's laptop is like one of those special spy computers. She wears a comm unit to talk to Miles while he's out in the city. Miles has yet to tell Peter and MJ about his partnership with Janice, but he wanted to be sure about this partnership first.

Today, Kid Arachnid is once again out on his own (hey, Peter was on his own in the beginning of his superhero career, so it's fair Miles gets to) with Janice talking to him from her apartment.

 _"Beetle to Kid Arachnid, do you read me?" Janice asked._

"I can hear you loud and clear, Janice. You don't have to check the comm's audio every time we do this," said Kid Arachnid.

 _"I'm just having fun, Miles. Not every day you get to be a superhero's official partner," said Janice._

"I'm just trying to protect my secret," said Kid Arachnid.

 _"Oh, relax. I was never really gonna tell. I just really wanted to help," said Janice._

"You got a lead on that new gang in town?" asked Kid Arachnid.

 _"They're at an abandoned warehouse just a couple blocks away. It should be next to a camping store," said Janice._

"What is the deal with these guys?" asked Kid Arachnid.

 _"Some kind of gang from Detroit that deals in both drugs and illegal technology," said Janice. "Apparently, two weeks ago, the Detroit police almost took them down, captured or killed half of the gang. The remaining ones just packed up and left. And now they're here in New York."_

"Detroit, huh?" Kid Arachnid asked. "Wait, wasn't your dad just recently in Detroit? I read something about a witness report. Gave descriptions that match your dad."

 _"I know what you're thinking. You think this gang is somehow linked to my dad," said Janice. "I won't be offended or surprised if they were. I just want my dad to be okay."_

"And murdering?" Kid Arachnid questioned.

 _"Hey, I don't like it as much as you do, but what choice did I have?" Janice argued. "I don't want to see him subjected to a death sentence. He's my father, Miles."_

"And what are you gonna do when you see him again?" asked Kid Arachnid.

 _"I... I don't... I mean... maybe beg the police to take the death sentence off their options," Janice said hopefully. "I don't know. It's hard for me, Miles, okay? Let's just get this gang off the streets and forget about my dad for now."_

"Sorry," Kid Arachnid apologized. "Just send an anonymous tip to the NYPD as soon as the fighting is done."

 _"I'll be listening to the punches, kicks, and insults," said Janice._

"I'm working on my stealth game," said Kid Arachnid.

Kid Arachnid sneaks into the warehouse from rooftop hatch. He perches on a beam as he watches the new gang's activities below. Drugs and weapons, just like he expected. He did see something strange. Two guys were opening some kind of crate. Inside the crate is a battle suit. Made of metal (or something from the metal family). The helmet had weird-looking eyes.

"Are you seeing this, Beetle?" Kid Arachnid asked.

Kid Arachnid created his Spider Drone of his own and linked it to Janice's laptop so she can see what he's doing. Right now, she's looking right at the fancy metal suit.

 _"Oh, definitely," said Janice. "I could use a suit like that. Fits with my name."_

"Yeah, the eyes definitely look like that of a beetle," said Kid Arachnid.

 _"Could use some color, though," Janice commented. "What do you think of purple?"_

"Given that there's a scary vigilante wearing purple and using purple streamers, that's not the best idea," said Kid Arachnid.

Kid Arachnid sees one gang member going off on his own to a far corner. Kid Arachnid sneaks up on him from above and webs him up off the ground, webbing his mouth shut and leaving him hanging from the beam.

 _"I've been your girl in the chair for two months, Miles. When are you gonna let me out there?" asked Janice._

"Still working on that," said Kid Arachnid.

Kid Arachnid fires an Impact Web shot at a lone gang member, webbing him to a wall. When Gang Member #3 saw his webbed-up comrade, Kid Arachnid snatches him into the air and webs him to the wall.

 _"Maybe you can snatch that special suit for me," Janice suggested flirtatiously._

"No, that's stealing. I mean, what if that suit belongs to someone else?" Kid Arachnid replied.

 _"I'm kidding, Miles. I'm kidding," Janice laughed. "Besides, I think you can make me something similar to it."_

"I think you're more in love with that suit than you are with me," said Kid Arachnid.

Miles and Janice's conversation over the comm-link is interrupted when a motorcycle comes barging in through the front door. No one is riding on it and there are explosives attached to it. The explosives are on a timer. Three... two... one...

BOOM!

Two of the gang members are killed in the explosion while the rest were just blown back by the blast. Walking in through the busted front door with a loaded rifle is...

"Tombstone?!" Kid Arachnid whisper-shouted.

 _"Dad?" Janice reacted, desperately adjusting the drone's camera to to see for herself._

Tombstone starts shooting at everyone. Kid Arachnid had to cover the drone's eyes to keep Janice from seeing the slaughter. Kid Arachnid webbed the gang leader to a wall before he could get shot. This got Tombstone's attention. He looked up and saw the black-suited sidekick. Kid Arachnid jumps down and webs the rifle away from Tombstone as he makes a stylish landing.

"Welcome back to town, Mr. Lincoln," Kid Arachnid greeted casually. "Next stop, The Raft."

"You're lucky my daughter is not here," said Tombstone.

"KID!"

That shout came from Spider-Man, who came in swinging. He web-zips himself towards Tombstone, only to get elbowed in the head. Spider-Man gets up, but he didn't attack. He just stood firm in case a fight would break out.

"Nice to see you again," Tombstone said to the older spider hero.

"Feeling's mutual," Spider-Man said sarcastically and half-sincerely. "Life on the run suddenly got dull, Lonnie?"

"Let's just say I missed home. New York, it's my home," said Tombstone.

Tombstone grabs a nearby barrel and throws it at Spider-Man. The older wall crawler dodges the barrel. Spider-Man fires a web shot, but Lonnie blocks it with his arm. Kid Arachnid leaps towards Tombstone, only for the big guy to grab another barrel and throw it at him. Kid Arachnid dodges the barrel, but he couldn't dodge Tombstone's fist.

"Easy. He's young," Spider-Man pleaded.

"He needs to learn," said Tombstone.

Tombstone charges at Spider-Man and throws punches. Spider-Man dodges his punches and lands a few punches of his own on Tombstone's face. Tombstone finally lands a strong punch to Spider-Man's face, but the web-slinger counters with a web shot to the face. Spider-Man then flip-kicks him and follows it with a leaping two-handed punch to the stomach.

"That's what I miss. A real challenge," Tombstone said, thrilled.

Tombstone charges at Spider-Man again, but the wall crawler leaps over him. Tombstone turns around in time to catch Spider-Man's incoming fist in his hand. Grabbing one of the hero's legs while keeping a tight grip on his hand, Tombstone throws him towards a half-destroyed van (half-destroyed due to the earlier explosion).

Kid Arachnid fires multiple web shots at Tombstone and punches him in the face. Tombstone breaks out of the webbing and attacks Kid Arachnid. Kid Arachnid dodges Tombstone's punches, but not the headbutt. Dazed from the headbutt, Tombstone uppercuts Kid Arachnid to a pile of wood.

"Still got a lot to learn, kid," Tombstone commented.

Spider-Man sucker-punches Tombstone with a sucker kick to the back of the head. Spider-Man then goes for a graceful whirlwind kick to the face. Tombstone punches Spider-Man twice, but Spider-Man responds with a few spin kicks to the head. He uppercuts Tombstone, causing the big guy to stumble backwards. He zips himself towards the wall and leaps off it, striking Tombstone in the back. Tombstone grabs a mallet and throws it at Spider-Man. Spider-Man dodges the mallet, but Tombstone charges quickly and shoulder-slams Spider-Man to the wall.

"Thanks for the help, Spidey Sense," Spider-Man cursed.

Tombstone throws another punch, but Spider-Man dodges it by sliding through Tombstone's legs. He no-look-webs Tombstone in the back and throws him towards a barrel. Spider-Man is now winning the fight. One swift punch to the face after another. Multiple agile kicks to the face or other parts of the upper body. He dodges Tombstone's next four punches before doing a handstand kick to the chest. He finishes the fight by webbing up Tombstone and then zip-kicking him towards another half-destroyed van.

Tombstone notices that his forehead was bleeding. He didn't seem to mind, though.

"All that for a drop of blood," Tombstone commented.

"You may be mortal, but you're still a tough nut to crack," said Spider-Man. "I thought you'd be chubby like Fisk after you're cured."

Tombstone chuckled and said, "Miss you, web head."

"Uh, flattered?" Spider-Man replied, not knowing whether to be creeped out or flattered.

"But you might wanna get out of here," said Tombstone.

"Why?" asked Spider-Man.

Spider-Man can hear police sirens in the distance. Tombstone smiled at this sound. He expected this. He wanted this. _But why_ , Spider-Man wondered.

"I know about Commissioner Drew's anti-you stand. She won't like it if she finds you here," said Tombstone.

"You sent the NYPD an anonymous tip before coming here," Spider-Man realized.

"Make yourself scarce, kid," said Tombstone. "'Til next time."

"Yeah... next time," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man takes the recovering Kid Arachnid and swings out of the warehouse through the roof. Tombstone gets up, gets out of the webbing, and holds his aching arm. Being mortal, it still feels strange to him. Yet, it's exhilarating. Threat of death ups the thrill, he said. The police sirens were getting louder, so he knew he had to leave. But before he could escape the crime scene, he grabbed a gun and aimed it at the gang leader, who is still webbed to a wall.

"I sold you my best products and all I ask is for a simple return payment. Yet, you chose to dishonor our deal," Tombstone said with calm anger. ""

Tombstone pulls the trigger and shoots the gang leader in the head, killing him. And that puts an end to the most dangerous crime gang from Detroit. The city might as well thank Tombstone, if he wasn't a criminal. Before walking out of the warehouse, Tombstone takes a look at one more thing.

The crate with the special armor in it.

"Nice," he said.

* * *

In a hidden place somewhere in Manhattan, the unhinged Yuri Watanabe continues her quest to exterminate not just the Maggia but all crime in the city. She's been doing this by operating in the shadows, killing her targets, and leaving their bodies in her special self-made crime scenes (purple streamers, case files, the ushe). The more she does this, the more she loses herself mentally. Yet, she does nothing to help herself, nor does she even believe there's something wrong with her. She's only concerned about doing what Spider-Man and the NYPD lack the will to do.

Right now, she's fixing up something. Two gauntlets. Both fitted with the Black Cat grappling tech she stole. She tries them on to make sure they don't feel bulky on her forearms.

"Still a bit too heavy. Need lighter material," she analyzed.

Next, she checks on the two Sable energy whips. She's no technician or electric engineer, but she learned just enough to work on the equipment she's working with. For instance, she changed the color of the whips' glow from orange to gold-ish yellow.

"Anton Vanko is in prison. I'm sure he won't mind if I borrow his M.O.," she commented.

Yuri inspects the Mysterio tech she stole. She took a page out of Melthu Emoz's playbook (she doesn't know it is actually Helmut Zemo) and mixed the hallucinogens with Scorpion's neurotoxin. Thanks to some thorough scientific research, she managed to find a way to make the toxin target the brain's fear center. _This hurts my brain_ , she thought.

"How does Spider-Man do it?" She wondered.

All this tech and science is very complicated for her. What Spider-Man can do in a matter of hours or a few days, it takes her forever. The physical and intellectual challenges she puts herself through to do what she wants to do, it's overwhelming. She had to sit out a few nights due to overexertion. And now she feels like she's in high school all over again with all this science.

Ignoring her struggles, she checks on the pièce de résistance. Her brand new suit. Running around in Kevlar can only get her so far. She needs her own - dare she think it - super suit.

 _ **Two weeks ago...**_

A.I.M. was transporting new material back outside of New York. The company has often been mocked by their beekeeper-like protective suits. Still, they stick to it because it protects them from scientific accidents, should one ever occur. A good scientist prepares for everything. Right now, they're transporting brand new flexible and protective material. Rumor has it that A.I.M.'s latest project resulted in half a dozen scientists in critical condition. They needed to upgrade their suits.

Unfortunately, an upgrade is exactly what a certain vigilante requires.

Just as the A.I.M. truck carrying the new material was about to cross the Manhattan Bridge, three smoke grenades are thrown on the road and detonate, covering the van and everything around it in a 10-meter radius in a smokescreen.

"Hey, what the hell?" The driver wondered.

The scientist in the passenger seat grabs his communicator and says, "Report: I think we're under attack."

A small circular object smashes through the window and releases green smoke. The two A.I.M. scientists' suits couldn't protect them from the smoke and they start not only coughing but hallucinating. What they each saw made them scream with fear.

"Get away! Get away!"

"Get back, you foul disgusting abomination!"

Twelve minutes later, the NYPD showed up to see what happened. The two scientists were still screaming and hallucinating. The back of the truck was open and one of three crates was missing.

 _ **End of Flashback**_

"I'm already an executioner. Why not a thief as well?" Yuri said to herself. "Spider-Man can't see it himself, so someone has to do it for him. I can't beat him myself, but I have the game-changer I need to at least match him."

Yuri gets changed. Once she was done, she looks at the mirror.

A full-body suit made of special tri-weave fabric designed to be bulletproof, chemical-proof, fire-proof, and super flexible. She did some redesigning, such as painting it purple (or dark violet, to be specific) with some gold coloring shaped like a mist. A ghostly mist.

All that's left now is the mask.

Yuri used the same material to create the mask. She decorated it with some dark gold lining and covered the eye holes with see-through glass that make her eyes look dead white from the outside. She takes a moment to stare at her mask. She didn't decorate it just so it would look cooler. No, she decorated it in a way that would make her enemies feel like they're staring directly at fear itself.

Putting it on and looking at the mirror again, Yuri can admit to even feel terrified of herself. Take off the mask, you see Yuri Watanabe. With the mask on, she looks like a costumed supervillain. But that's not who she wants to be. She wants the memory of her past to fade, to be something more than her name.

Then her phone beeped. She just received a news alert. The title of the newest article is:

"Tombstone is back in New York."

Yuri now felt like this was the perfect moment for her to try out her new look for the first time. Grabbing her gauntlets, whips, fear bombs, and a loaded gun, she leaves her hideout and heads out to find the criminal who killed the man she loved. Spider-Man stopped her from putting a bullet in Tombstone's head last time, but she had no intention of letting him get in her way this time. Tombstone is a drug dealer and a murderer. Grudge or no grudge, she believes he deserves "true" justice.

* * *

At the Connolly's apartment, Janice gets a mysterious package in the form of a huge box. No return address. No sender's name. Just a big box. Despite feeling suspicious, she opens it. What she finds inside shocked her. It was the battle suit that the Detroit gang brought to New York with them. Before continuing to be wowed by the suit, she found a note. It said:

 _You always did look good in purple, baby girl._

"Baby girl." Only one person has called her that besides her mother. There's also the fact that there was only one person who was in the Detroit gang's warehouse after Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid had to retreat. The suit came from her father. Only, the suit wasn't just colorless metal anymore.

It appeared to be painted purple (or northwestern purple, if someone demanded a specific color description) with some black to avoid blandness. She couldn't help but recognize the design.

7th Grade. School play. A superhero play. The chosen cast from the 7th graders were asked to create their own heroes and villains. Janice managed to argue her way to being one of the play's villains. A villain in a purple and black suit with wings and beetle eyes called "Beetle" (which is where the codename "Beetle" came from). The only way Tombstone could've known about that, if her mom didn't tell him, is that he was there at the day of the play and remembered the design.

"You have been watching over me this whole time, literally," Janice smiled.

Janice turns the note around and found more words written by her father. The back of the note says:

 _And yes, it can fly._

Janice turns the upper body part of the suit around and found what appeared to be a jetpack that has four exhausts in a very familiar pattern. It matches the plastic jetpack she made for her Beetle costume for the play.

"Dad killed the Detroit gang just to take the suit," Janice remembered. "Could it be that they made it for him, but double-crossed him or something? But why would he ask them to make it? Was it for me? Is this why he was in Detroit?"

Janice stopped talking to herself when her laptop beeped. She was tracking her father. Miles' drone came with a tracker blaster that he can use in case he would ever need it. Janice used the tracker blaster to plant a tracker on her father before she had to drive the drone out of the warehouse and follow Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid. It took time for her laptop to get a signal, but now she had it.

"I'm coming, Dad," she said excitedly.

* * *

Tombstone heads back to Pale Horse Ridez, a body shop he ran along with his drug operations. Instead of killing the innocent people who work there, he just knocked them out and locked them in a closet. He wasn't in a killing mood right now. It probably has something to do with recently gifting his daughter that battle suit putting him in a such a good mood. All he needs from Pale Horse Ridez is a new motorcycle. Since he had to blow up his previous one to kill the gang from Detroit, he needed a new one if he is going to keep running from the cops.

"None for my size? Well, let's get to work," said Tombstone.

Tombstone starts going through numerous parts to find the ones he needs to build a motorcycle that can handle his size and weight. Without anyone to call the authorities, he thought it would be a peaceful night of just fixing up motorcycles like he always did.

Unfortunately, someone had other plans.

Just as he grabbed himself a bottle of whiskey (one of the new employees must be an alcoholic or something), a hi-tech whip with a yellow glow shattered the bottle to pieces. Turning around to see where it came from, there was no one. Or at least, whoever it was probably got out of his line of sight in time.

"Tombstone," a voice in the shadows spoke.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?" Tombstone asked as crackled his knuckles in preparation.

"You made your fortune off the suffering of innocent people. Selling vile drugs, poisoning these streets. Supplying the Demons," the voice in the shadows continued. "And you've taken lives yourself. Murderer!"

Tombstone grabs his gun and starts shooting everywhere. He can't see who's coming for him, and it's honestly beginning to frighten him. The voice sounded angry and vengeful. He can't help but feel there's something familiar about the voice, but he was too busy defending himself to think about it.

"And what of it?" Tombstone asked.

"Imprisonment is too good for a monster like you," the voice growled.

"Ah, I see where this is going. Well, in that case, show yourself and try," Tombstone dared. "Or are you gonna finish me off from the distance like some coward?"

"Oh, believe me, I intend to take this up-close and personal," said the voice.

Two glowing whips wrap up Tombstone's legs and pull on them so he falls on his back. He dropped his gun, but he grabbed it. However, it got whipped out of his hand by those glowing whips. He tries to get up, only to get shot in the gut by a gun. Tombstone remains lying down while putting a hand over his bleeding bullet wound. While he tries to fight the pain, whoever was attacking him finally comes out of the shadows and into the light.

A purple-suited vigilante with a mask. Tombstone tries grabbing something, anything, to defend himself. He grabs a wrench, only for the wrench to get shot out of his hand by the vigilante.

"So, you're the famous new Maggia killer," Tombstone said formally. "Love the look."

"You wouldn't like what's underneath the mask," the vigilante said.

The seriousness of the situation was cut short when someone came crashing in through the window. It was Janice, wearing the battle suit that her father gifted her. The jetpack of the suit sprouted four long protrusions with rounded ends, looking like wings of a beetle. Thanks to the mask, the vigilante can't see her face. Tombstone, on the other hand, knows who it is underneath the metal mask.

The masked flier seems to be struggling with the flight functions. The wings are supposed to help her stay balanced in mid-air, but she can't get them to curve and bend evenly, causing her to fly all over the place and knock down a stack of tires. Fortunately, she managed to make a soft but awkward landing by turning off the wings at the right time.

Tombstone chuckled, amused and proud. "Nice flying."

"Gee, thanks," said the armored-up individual sarcastically.

"Who are you?" asked the vigilante.

"Call me Beetle," said the armored-up newbie. "And you, stay away from him."

"You consort with him?" the vigilante questioned. "That makes you a criminal."

"Wrong idea, girlfriend," Beetle replied. "Now, I'm only gonna tell you this once. Get away from him."

With the vigilante's head turned, Tombstone quietly gets up and grabs her, causing her to drop her gun. Tombstone throws her to a rack full of motorcycle parts. Tombstone quickly runs towards Beetle and pushes her towards the exit.

"Dad, you're bleeding," said Beetle.

"You do look great in purple, baby girl," Tombstone smiled. "But you have to go. This is not the time to impress daddy."

"No, you're injured and you need me here," Beetle insisted. "Besides, backup's coming."

"Backup? What do you mean?" asked Tombstone.

The answer to Tombstone's question will have to wait 'cause the vigilante captures the big guy's leg with her whip. She pulls him away from Beetle and drags him towards herself.

"No!" Beetle cried.

Beetle grabs Tombstone's arm and pulls. She activated her wings to fly backward and get a better chance to reclaiming her father. The vigilante uses her other whip to rope up Beetle and throw her away from Tombstone. Keeping Beetle roped up with her whip, the vigilante activates the whip's shock function, electrocuting the newbie. While the electricity doesn't affect Janice, it was affecting the suit, keeping her almost immobile.

"No more games!" The vigilante shouted. "This ends now."

The vigilante was about to shoot Tombstone in the head, only for the gun to be webbed out of her hand by Kid Arachnid, who came swinging in and wasted no time getting in on the action. He uses Impact Web to web the vigilante to the wale, freeing Beetle from the deadly whip. Spider-Man showed up about ten seconds later.

"Just in time," said Kid Arachnid.

"I would've been here before you, but Carmen and her husband had car trouble," said Spider-Man. Noticing Beetle, he asks, "Who's this?"

Beetle quickly runs towards Tombstone, who is still in pain from the bullet wound.

"Spider-Man, help!" Beetle cried.

Spider-Man rushes towards Tombstone and quickly applies webbing to his wound, sealing it.

"Thank you," Beetle said thankfully. "Also, big fan. I'm Beetle."

Beetle holds out her hand. Spider-Man replies with a handshake.

"I'd comment on that, but then again, my rogues gallery includes a guy with a scorpion tail and a Russian in a rhino suit," said Spider-Man.

"Hey," Tombstone called. "Thanks, bug."

"Well, couldn't let you die before we have another rematch," Spider-Man said humorously.

"We have to get out of here," said Beetle.

Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid's Spider Senses go off. The vigilante has escaped the web coat and throws small bombs at the three other vigilantes. Spider-Man reacts fast enough to kick the bomb heading his way away, knocking it against the bomb heading towards Kid Arachnid. While kicking one of the bombs, Spider-Man simultaneously fires a web shot at the bomb heading straight for Beetle.

"Whoa," Beetle reacted, wowed.

The bombs still release hallucinogenic gas, causing the vigilantes to run to the other side with the still injured Tombstone. Immune to the gas due to the material that her mask and suit are made of, the vigilante walks through the large gas

"Stay out of this Spider-Man," said the vigilante.

"We both know I can't do that," said Spider-Man. "I'll take Tombstone back to The Raft. You don't have to kill him."

"And we both know that I do," said the vigilante.

Instead of a fear bomb, the vigilante goes for a smokescreen, blinding everyone in the room. She takes out Kid Arachnid with a few strong kicks and whipping him to the other side of the room. Spider-Man's Spider Sense manages to alert him to the vigilante's incoming attack despite being unable to see anything. Spider-Man blocks the vigilante's punches and kicks and uses a Web Bomb to knock her away from him. The vigilante breaks out of the webbing and uses her whips to electrocute Spider-Man until he was too weak to stand.

The smokescreen starts fading away. This allows Beetle to see the vigilante. The two engage in hand-to-hand combat. Beetle land some kicks to her sides, stomach, and head. She even grabs the vigilante and throws her over her head in a rather painful way. The vigilante gets back up and the fight continues. The vigilante grabs Beetle's leg, elbows her in the head, and brutally kicks her down. Beetle shrugs all of this off and trips the vigilante by kicking her leg.

"I've grown tired of this," the vigilante said angrily.

The vigilante grabs Beetle by the throat and starts punching her in the helmet over and over and over again. When Beetle seemed unfazed, Yuri wraps her whip around Beetle's neck and starts electrocuting her. Unfortunately, the electricity from the whip shorts out Beetle's suit, activating its wings. Beetle flies out of control and ends up crashing through the ceiling. This causes the ceiling to collapse right on top of Tombstone and the vigilante. The vigilante jumps out of the way, but Tombstone wasn't so lucky.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Meanwhile, just a few streets away, Commissioner Jessica Drew and Detective Jean DeWolff are driving directly towards Pale Horse Ridez. They were discussing about the limitations the NYPD currently gives Spider-Man at a nearby coffee shop when they caught sight of the out-of-control flying "Beetle" in the sky and followed it. Just as they made it to the street where the auto body shop is, they could see the ceiling collapse. She can also see the "Beetle" flying out from the roof and flying out of control.

"What the hell?" DeWolff wondered.

"Call for backup," Jessica ordered.

Jessica speeds up so they can see what's really going on. After parking right across the body shop, the two officers get out of the car with their guns firmly in their grip, preparing for any type of danger.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

The smoke from the rubble's collapse starts to fade. Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid were a little incapacitated at the moment. But Tombstone had it worse. White the two spider-powered heroes are partially buried, Tombstone was almost completely buried. Only his head and one of his arms are sticking out of the rubble. The vigilante, however, was completely fine... and pointing her gun at Tombstone. Before she pulls the trigger, she takes off her mask, allowing Tombstone to see her face.

"Watanabe?" Tombstone uttered weakly, shocked.

"No mercy this time," Yuri said vindictively. "Teddy Rangel says hello."

Beetle comes crashing back in and sees Yuri aiming a gun at her father. Yuri's back is turned, so Beetle can't see the vigilante's face, however. But she didn't care about that. What she cared about is...

"Dad!"

Yuri froze. Beetle just called Tombstone "dad." She said it out of fear of losing him. It reminded her of how she cried out Teddy's name when he was about to be killed by Tombstone. Fear and love in one little scream. Yuri suddenly finds herself lowering the gun, hesitating to pull the trigger. This revelation, it's more than just a shock. The meaning behind her desire to get revenge on Tombstone, it's become more than just revenge. Beetle stood and fought alongside Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid proudly, meaning she's not a bad egg like her dad. If Beetle is a good person just like Spider-Man, can Yuri really rob her of a father, whether or not he's a criminal?

"Everyone, freeze!"

DeWolff and Drew barge in, prompting Yuri to put the mask back on. DeWolff sees Kid Arachnid partially buried and helps him.

"Hands up, both of you!" Jessica ordered, talking to both Yuri and Beetle.

Yuri throws a smoke grenade down to the ground and disappears. Jessica shoots at the smoke, but her bullets hit nothing but metal and concrete. DeWolff asked her to help Spider-Man, so that's what Jessica did, if reluctantly.

"Spider-Man," Jessica greeted with concern.

"Where's the vigilante?" asked Spider-Man.

"She got away," Jessica answered.

"So, are you gonna arrest me for being here?" asked Spider-Man.

"I'll confine you in a hospital if I have to," Jessica joked.

"Gee, thanks for the concern," Spider-Man said sarcastically.

Spider-Man helps himself up and walks away from Jessica to help DeWolff free his sidekick. Kid Arachnid was banged up, but at least he could stand. Beetle and DeWolff both held Kid Arachnid with care, making sure he doesn't suddenly faint or fall.

"Are you okay, Kid?" asked DeWolff.

"My leg hurts, but I'm still alive," said Kid Arachnid.

"Who's your friend?" DeWoff asked, looking at Beetle.

"Beetle," Beetle answered.

"If we didn't have supervillains like Vulture or Rhino, I'd say that's too on-the-nose," DeWolff commented.

Beetle chuckled. Both Spider-Man and DeWolff have commented on her choice of a codename. But she'll stick to it because that superhero play from 7th Grade holds a special place in her heat, especially considering the suit she's wearing is a gift from her father. Remembering her father, she rushes over and helps him out of the rubble. With help from Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid, Tombstone is freed from a crushing death.

Unfortunately, Tombstone is now suffering from more than just a bullet wound.

"We have to get him to a hospital, now!" Spider-Man insisted.

"We'll take him to the nearest hospital," said DeWolff.

"And then he goes straight to The Raft," Jessica added.

"Just take care of him, please," Beetle pleaded in a grave tone.

While DeWolff and Kid Arachnid help Tombstone to the car, Jessica stare at the hole in the ceiling, thinking about the purple-suited vigilante who just vanished. Spider-Man stood next to her, thinking of the same thing.

"Who was that?" asked Jessica.

"A wraith," Spider-Man answered vaguely.

* * *

Beetle returns to her apartment through the window. She takes off her helmet and sulks on her bed, shedding a few tears. The doctor says that Tombstone is suffering from severe injuries to his vital organs and the bullet wound made him slip into a coma. A coma that he could be stuck in for an unknown amount of time, if he was fortunate enough to wake up at all. An irrational mind would mean Beetle would blame Spider-Man for taking away the invulnerability of her father's skin, but she didn't. Instead, she blames the vigilante.

But Janice's sob time was cut short when she saw her mother watching her. Her secret is out, but she knew the risk of coming home in the suit.

"I read the news," said Mrs. Connolly. "Sweetie, what are you doing? Why are you doing this?"

"I found my dad," Janice started, sounding bitter and sad at the same time. "Lonnie Lincoln. Does that name ring a bell?"

Mrs. Connolly knew there was no point in lying. Considering Tombstone was reported to be at Pale Horse Ridez at the same time as "Beetle," there was no doubt that her daughter had found out.

"He gave me this suit," said Janice. "He designed it after my costume at the school play during 7th Grade. He didn't exactly want me to be a part of this kind of life, but he just wanted to be a part of my life. You kept that from happening."

"Sweetie, he's a criminal," said Mrs. Connolly. "He kept that from me when he and I dated. I couldn't just invite him to your life. I didn't want that."

"You could've told me who he was and I probably would've left it alone!" Janice shouted. "Instead, you kept him hidden from me when he just wanted to know his own daughter."

"He's a bad man, Janice," Mrs. Connolly argued.

"A bad man who is in a coma and he may never wake up!" Janice yelled angrily. "But you don't care, don't you? No, of course not. You would be happy that someone who is a drug dealer and a murder would no longer be around to hurt anyone. But he's done nothing wrong to me, mom. He's done nothing but provide for me, help me through school. Okay, so he made money off other people's suffering, but I can't be mad even if I know I have to be. He made me this suit, mom, and I love it. And now he's in The Raft's infirmary, in a coma. I can never tell him everything I ever wanted to tell him."

"And you blame me?" Mrs. Connolly accused.

"You kept him away from me, and now all this happened. You are as much to blame as that stupid vigilante," Janice said angrily.

"Watch your tone, young lady," Mrs. Connolly scolded.

"No, you watch your tone!" Janice shouted. "You can't stop me, and you know that. I have my father's condition. I'm indestructible, suit or no suit. And if you even think about telling the police about who Beetle is, then I'll make sure everyone knows who your daughter's father is. We both know you don't want that."

Janice shoulder-checks her own mother as she walks off, deciding to get changed somewhere else. Mrs. Connolly can only hold on to he slightly hurt shoulder and think about what her lies and secrets have cost her. Tombstone is in critical condition and her daughter is angry at her. What's next?

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

While her mother was recovering emotionally outdoors, Janice stays in her room and just fiddles with her laptop. Still reeling from the fear of losing her father and her fight wit her mother, she really wasn't having the best of nights. That is, until a certain someone she cares about decided to pay her a visit. A black-clothed hand knocks on her window. She opens the window and looks up, seeing her black-suited boyfriend.

"People could see you, you know," said Janice.

"Well, can I come in?" asked Miles.

"Mom's not home, so sure," Janice said.

Miles jumps in through the window and takes off his mask. Janice goes back to staring at her laptop with that sad and angry look on her face. Miles already knows what's bothering her.

"He'll be fine, Jan," Miles said positively.

"He's no longer indestructible," Janice said negatively.

"Hey, don't talk like that. DeWolff will make sure The Raft's doctors do their best," said Miles.

"Given her obvious crush on you, of course she will," Janice said sarcastically.

"Hey, my mistake, I admit," Miles defended himself. "But the point is, don't give up hope. Your father still has a chance to live."

"I am sorry about your dad, Miles," Janice said sympathetically.

"This isn't about me. Yes, I don't like it that your dad is a criminal, but he cares about you and you care about him," said Miles. "You're lucky to have a dad. Even if he's not the best person, his daughter matters to him more than the bad things he does. If he wakes up, I'll be sure you're there to greet him."

"Thanks, Miles," Janice smiled. "I really needed you right now."

"Anywhere, anytime," said Miles.

Janice gives Miles a kiss on the cheek. Miles blushed, and Janice giggled at the look on his face.

"So, you're Beetle now," Miles mentioned. "If you want to be out on the field with me..."

"Actually, I'm just gonna spend a little more time as your girl in the chair," said Janice. "After dad... I need some time to just sit down and heal. But one day, Beetle and Kid Arachnid will be the greatest superhero duo ever. Yes, even better than you and Spider-Man."

"Oh, I don't doubt that," Miles agreed. "Just don't tell him I said that."

"Speaking of Spidey, what does he think about me?" asked Janice.

"He wants to talk to you personally before making a final assessment, but I guess that talk will have to wait," said Miles. "But I told him you just want to do good, and he doesn't mind that, so long as you don't hurt yourself... but that's not really a problem for you."

* * *

Yuri, meanwhile, returns to her secret hideout. The first thing she did is take off her mask and slam her hands on a table, all the while breathing heavily due to her overwhelming thoughts. Tombstone has a daughter. A daughter who seems to want to be a hero like Spider-Man, but cares about her father so much that losing him would make her scream "dad" with so much fear. Black Cat once told Yuri, "Some of Hammerhead's men had families, but you didn't care." It's true. She didn't. But with Beetle and Tombstone, it was different.

Tombstone is the one who killed the man that Yuri loved. She wanted nothing more than to put a bullet in his head and move on from this desire for revenge. But then Beetle shows up, reveals herself as Tombstone's daughter, and shows that she actually cares about him. There is no way Tombstone is a bad father if that's the case. She remembered seeing him trying to get her out of the auto body shop, seemingly concerned about her. Tombstone is a monster, isn't he? What kind of monster cares about his daughter deeply?

Yuri looks into the mirror and asks "What are you doing, Yuri?"

 **Spider-Man had to take a back seat so Miles, Janice, and Tombstone can have the spotlight, but it had to happen. Okay, so it's so much as rushing Janice's transformation to Beetle if she's still Miles' girl in the chair, but she has the suit finally. I admit, it's impossible to turn this version of Janice Lincoln into a villain given she grew up a good girl with a (more or less) good mother. But that's not to say I can't try to give her some hints of darkness, such as her hostility towards her mother and a possible future rematch with Yuri.**

 **So, what do you think? Leave a review and give me your full, honest opinion, please. (No requests, please)**


	32. Another Day in New York, Episode 6

**Here is yet another "ordinary day in New York" chapter. I need time to do some relaxing writing while thinking about the more serious plots. I try my best to make these slow and calm one-shots worth reading. But they're really just meant to be simply relaxing... unless I decide to make this dramatic.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: Knox, roxasduelwielder, Vanitas50 or Shadow25, Alf768, Redwall, K2-Black-Panther, rex1297, Spideysquad**

 ** _To roxasduelwielder_: Well, now you got me thinking about "JJJ vs. Pregnant Silver Sable". Maybe a Just the Facts episode in the future. The Silver Sable in this story listens to the podcast. Why not guest star in it one day?**

 ** _To Vanitas50 or Shadow25_: Just looked it up, and yup it's definitely describes Yuri well.**

 ** _To Alf768_: Well, my best guess is that he would just simply think it was all crazy. But, hey, he did build an APC for Martin Li. I'm not sure he has much thoughts other than "just another chaotic event in New York."**

 ** _To Redwall_: Okay, I see what you did there.**

 ** _To Jason Hunter_: I heard, but I'll wait until the first trailer of an MCU X-Men/MCU Fantastic Four movie before I start fanboy-ing. It's like with Spider-Man. I don't want to believe it until I see it (i.e. Civil War trailer).**

 ** _To rex1297_: I don't think I want to touch the Harry/Venom storyline. Even if we have to wait forever for the sequel to sate our curiosities about Norman creating the symbiote, I rather keep the focus on the Main Six - Spidey, MJ, Miles, Yuri, Felicia, and Sable.**

 ** _To Spideysquad_: Given how I've written Janice, I don't know how I can make her a villain, but she won't be all good in the future, that I can assure you. Although, Yuri's story is definitely not a side story. She's one of the main focuses. That cover photo isn't just for show.**

Months ago, Tony Stark bought Fisk Tower and has transformed it to the new Stark Tower. Unfortunately, due to the Avengers' busy schedule, Stark is barely around to finish refurbishing Wilson Fisk's ex-ivory-tower. However, he did leave something behind for young Peter Parker. Just recently, Tony left Peter a message through his old Stark Suit. He wanted him to check out something inside Fisk Tower, something made specifically for him. He also told Peter that there is a secret entrance on the roof and gave him the location of a handprint scanner that accepts on Peter's handprint and Tony's.

The secret entrance leads to an elevator that takes Peter (dressed as Spider-Man, because of course) to a secret underground lab.

"Whoa," Peter reacted as he removed his mask.

The lab is five times bigger than his apartment. There are about two dozen display cases for his suits. A table more than large enough for him to work on, complete with a holo-display to assist him with his suit modifications. A computer that would make computers in the 90s look like out-of-date cellphones.

"All this for me? I think he really wants to adopt me," Peter commented. "Hey, what's that?"

On the table is a little communication device. Once Peter pushed the button, a holographic display of Tony Stark appeared. It was a recorded message from the famous billionaire philanthropist.

 _"Hey, Peter," Tony greeted. "Now, I know you said you wanted to work on your own steam. But when you told me that keeping your stuff at Octavius Industries was starting to become problematic, I just couldn't help myself. So, I built this place. I won't be using Stark Tower a lot with all this Avengers business, but since you're always swinging around Manhattan, I thought maybe you could find a use for it. Now, don't be mad. I'm only supplying you with the basic needs for your Spider-Man-ing. But you can still go dumpster diving for parts if you want. I just want to make sure you're comfortable with your HQ. It's better to take it than leave it, kid. That way, you can relax at Octavius Industries while working on your suits in peace. The lab is perfectly invisible from above, visually and digitally. You're welcome."_

And the hologram of Tony Stark disappears, signalling the end of the message. Peter was definitely not going to say no to this. True, trying to hide his stuff at Octavius Industries when inspectors and Oscorp's board members visit has become more and more difficult. So, a secret underground HQ might just be what he needs.

"Thanks, Mr. Stark," Peter said. "I gotta tell MJ, but she'll probably blab it to the city. Maybe I'll just take a picture."

And so, Peter puts his mask back on and takes a selfie with a good view of the lab. He then sends the picture to MJ with a text about how he got such a cool HQ, along with a strict message that says, "Don't tell anyone. Delete the photo immediately after gazing in awe."

MJ: _Cool. Don't worry. I won't breathe a word to anyone. But I'm definitely keeping the picture._

Peter: _Oh-kay._

Peter decides to check on the computer first. He turns it on. Leave it to Tony to start up his computer in a very stylish way. After ten seconds of visually-pleasing colors, Peter is introduced to an Iron Man wallpaper acting as a screen saver.

"The ego on that man," Peter commented.

" _Indeed._ "

"Whoa!" Peter reacted, shocked by the disembodied voice. "Okay, who's jumpscaring me? This isn't some horror movie."

" _Calm down, Peter. It's just me. F.R.I.D.A.Y.,_ " said the computer's A.I.

"Who?" asked Peter.

"F.R.I.D.A.Y.," said F.R.I.D.A.Y.

Friday pops up on the computer screen in the form of a digital eyeball. _At least it's not a colored eyeball_ , Peter thought with relief. F.R.I.D.A.Y.'s "eye" is, fortunately, made out of glowing lines and two glowing circles for the pupil and iris.

" _Mr. Stark created me to be your companion down here should you feel lonely,_ " said F.R.I.D.A.Y. " _He mentioned feeling bad about creating me because you had an A.I. companion in the past._ "

"Yeah, her name was Karen," Peter said sadly. "Long story short, alien invasion. Black Widow, Hawkeye, and I were trapped in an alien spaceship. Needed an A.I. to short-circuit our prison open. Karen fried herself saving us."

" _I'm sorry if this seems inappropriate,_ " F.R.I.D.A.Y. apologized.

"No, don't. I could use the company, I guess," said Peter. "So, I take it Mr. Stark's programmed you with all the info you need about me."

"Peter Parker. 23 years old. Graduated from Empire Statue University on 2017. Former photographer for the Daily Bugle. Former assistant scientist to Dr. Otto Octavius. Now the head of Octavius Industries. Boyfriend of one Mary Jane Watson," F.R.I.D.A.Y. replied.

"MJ's gonna love you," Peter muttered, embarrassed.

"So, Mr. Parker," said F.R.I.D.A.Y.

"Uh, _Peter_ is just fine," Peter interrupted.

" _Peter,_ " F.R.I.D.A.Y. complied. " _Mr. Stark left behind some ideas on an improvement for your Vibranium suit. Would you like to take a look?_ "

"Yes, please," said Peter.

* * *

At the elevated train track platform in Harlem, Yuri was on her own wearing a black hoodie and a black hanky to hide her face. She couldn't stay in her hideout because she needed fresh air. She doesn't mind anyone seeing her, but she does mind if Spider-Man sees her. Since he's swinging around the city, you never know when he's around where you are right now. So, all Yuri can do is hide herself the best way she can. She wishes she couldn't, but given what she's been doing lately, she can't take that chance.

As if she needed reminding of why she's wearing the hood and hanky, a newspaper carried away by the wind hit her in the face. She grabs it off her face, removing the hanky off her face accidentally. It was a Daily Bugle newspaper. One article captures Yuri's attention.

 _Wraith: Are the Maggia's days numbered?_

The purple-suited vigilante executing members of the Maggia and other killers has been given a name. Spider-Man calls her "Wraith." That name has been typed all over the internet and printed on every newspaper. Yuri knows that Spider-Man chose that name because she described "Yuri Watanabe" as a wraith in their last phone call.

"I like it," Yuri commented.

"Excuse me."

Yuri flinched when someone spoke to her. At least, it sounded like that voice was speaking to her. She turns to her right and sees a middle-aged woman she recognizes.

"Captain Watanabe," the woman greeted.

"I'm not Captain anymore, or Commissioner, Mrs. Drake," Yuri said as she took off the hood.

Mrs. Drake. As in the wife of the deceased Lt. Drake, who was killed during the NYPD's attempt to arrest Hammerhead at the Harlem Sanitarium months ago. To think, he had just gotten a Spider-Man watch from his son as a birthday present before his unfortunate fate.

"I'm sorry for startling you. I just didn't expect to see you here," said Mrs. Drake.

"Yeah, well, life after serving for so long on the force is not all it's cracked up to be," said Yuri. "It does help me get more time in the gym, though."

"Well, I'm glad I saw you. We never really got a chance to talk after you told me that my husband... you know," Mrs. Drake said sadly.

"There's nothing to talk about, except that I am so sorry," Yuri apologized.

"You shouldn't be sorry, Cap... Ms. Watanabe," said Mrs. Drake. "At least the man who took him away from me and my son can't do it to other families ever again."

"For the better," Yuri replied.

Mrs. Drake doesn't know that she's talking to Hammerhead's murderer. Silver Sable herself took the credit for the killing blow to avoid suspicions, as well as keep Spider-Man's image clean. But no one knows that Yuri is the one who blew Hammerhead's head off his cyborg body.

"How is your son, by the way?" asked Yuri.

"He's still sad," said Mrs. Drake. "My husband showed you the Spidey watch he got, right? Dylan bought it for him as a birthday gift. Dylan keeps it in a glass case in the living room. He's 10. I know he'll pull through. It just hurts so much for him and for me."

Mrs. Drake notices the newspaper that Yuri was still holding.

"The Wraith. Seems like this city keeps attracting more and more psychos," said Mrs. Drake.

"You don't approve of The Wraith's methods?" Yuri asked.

"I don't know. Those she's executed are no better than Hammerhead, but it's still unnecessarily cruel," said Mrs. Drake. "You worked with Spider-Man. How does he feel about her?"

"He prefers the justice system to decide the fate of the criminals in this city. That should tell you enough how he feels about the Wraith," Yuri replied, trying to hide how annoyed she felt about Spider-Man's code of honor. "She's guilty of murder, even if her targets are criminals, so don't be surprised if Spider-Man brings her to the police."

"Are you sure you're okay with leaving the force?" asked Mrs. Drake. "I mean, I read Ms. Watson's article. Is your father's mistakes really that heavy on your heart?"

"Sadly, yes," said Yuri. "I need to find something new to do with my life. One that doesn't destroy me on the inside."

"Awfully dramatic way to word it," Mrs. Drake commented. "But good luck."

Mrs. Drake leaves.

Yuri looks at the newspaper one more time before letting go of it and letting the wind guide it somewhere else. And then the flashbacks of that day at the Harlem Sanitarium came back. The lights were out and she was just shooting at everything, desperately trying to kill Hammerhead and her men. When she lit the room with a lighter, she saw Spider-Man standing next to Lt. Drake's dead body. Watching and hearing the cracked Spidey watch tick while the wearer is no longer ticking himself was so hard.

And then Yuri remembers reading the autopsy report on Lt. Drake. She burned that report immediately upon reading it, because what she feared happened was true. Hammerhead's goons didn't kill Lt. Drake. She did. The bullets that killed him came from her gun. In her moment of rage when the lights were out, she mindlessly killed her own lieutenant. Would he have died anyway? Or would he have lived had she not been so angry and vengeful?

Yuri shakes her head in an attempt to snap herself out of it.

"It's not your fault, Yuri," she said to herself.

* * *

MJ's recent run-in with the Demons has forced her to, for once, take it easy with her job. Instead of sneaking into Maggia-owned properties or tazing some corrupt businessman's security guards, she's at home working on her stories on her laptop. Sitting on the couch next to her Spider-Plushie, she writes articles about some simple stories. Spider-Man stopping another drug deal. Kid Arachnid helping injured people out of a car crash. Tony Stark's decision to put an Avengers logo on the brand new Stark Tower (formerly Fisk Tower).

"At least his ego has some limits," MJ commented.

After typing for almost an hour, MJ takes her fingers off the keyboard and leans back on the couch. After sipping some water, she picks up Agent SP and holds him close as she stares up at the ceiling and thinks.

"Do you think I'm losing it?" She asked the plushie.

MJ holds up her right hand and notices little flickers of negative energy emitting from her fingers. She closes her eyes and fingers as she tries to fight against the corruption still lingering in her body.

"Peter says a little beating won't get rid of Li's influence completely," said MJ. "Maybe Sable should've punched me harder."

She holds the Spider-Plushie high up like a baby.

"I just can't shake the feeling that Li did something different to me," said MJ. "Everyone's been more or less cured from Li's corruption - or got the corruption punched out of them by Peter, to put it less mildly - they're living their lives just fine. Me, on the other hand, I've been having... episodes. Negative episodes. Luckily, no one but you is around when I have them. What if I go berserk again?"

She looks into the Spider-Plushie's eyes, as if she was expecting an answer from him.

"I haven't told Peter or anyone about these episodes. I know, secrets are never a good thing," said MJ. "But he has too much on his plate with Miles and Octavius Industries and the Bugle and protecting this city and... well, me... but not _all_ of me."

MJ looks into the plushie's eyes again, as if it was giving her a scolding glare.

"I'll tell him eventually," said MJ. "I just don't know when."

The plushie gives her the glare again. MJ was starting to "give in" to the plushie's persuasive staring.

"Okay, I went to Dr. Morgan Michaels first," MJ admitted. "And he said the only way he can help me is if we go to Norman. I think you know why that is the worst idea."

The plushie "slaps" MJ in the face.

"Okay, I kinda deserve that," said MJ. "But there is something seriously wrong with me. I almost killed Peter last time I was under Li's control. Who knows what I can do if I lose control of myself again? How does Peter do it? Is it really his blood, or is it his will?"

MJ puts the plushie down and stares at her laptop.

"I am so tempted to just out myself, but that would be an even worse idea than going to Norman. Arguable speaking," said MJ.

MJ's phone rings. Dr. Michaels is calling. MJ holds the Spider-Plushie close to her again as she answers the call. There is only one reason he would call and that is what is scaring her.

"Dr. Michaels," she greeted.

 _"Ms. Watson," Dr. Michaels greeted. "Listen, you're not going to like this. I talked to Norman."_

MJ groaned in response.

 _"I know you don't trust him, but I don't either. But you need help," said Dr. Michaels. "The only way I can help you is with Oscorp resources, and the only man who can help get access to Oscorp resources is Norman."_

"What's the catch?" asked MJ.

 _"That I go back to working at Oscorp," said Dr. Michaels. "And I'm willing to take that sacrifice if it means saving you."_

"But what about F.E.A.S.T.?" asked MJ.

 _"I already told Gloria. She's not happy, but she understands," said Dr. Michaels. "The only question is, are you willing to accept this? Whatever Li did to you, Norman is the only one who can find out."_

* * *

One of the strange things Silver Sable usually does during her last stay in New York is go on leisurely strolls dressed in normal people's clothes. And that's exactly what she's doing today. After a couple weeks since her return, she's been trying to avoid attracting attention to herself, due to the whole Financial District shootout incident a few months ago. But she misses these strolls and decides to get back to doing it no matter how anyone looks at her. Just one sparkly silver parka and she was good to go.

She goes to Central Park, but not before buying some ice cream. Coffee flavor. She sits down on a bench to relax and enjoy her cone.

As expected, a lot of people were not comfortable when they walk passed her. She ignores them and plugs her earpieces in her ears to listen to the some tunes. As she told Spider-Man, she did not hate her newfound love for music. Coming home to Symkaria to find out that a civil war has been waged almost made her forget about music. It is only when she returned to New York to reclaim her weapons from Hammerhead that she remembered how much she missed the person she was before the civil war.

Just as she was about to press "play" and listen to a new song, she heard a couple bickering nearby. They had a baby boy with them.

"You didn't hire a babysitter, remember?" The wife said.

"I thought there was no problem taking Otis with us," said the husband.

"Well, it's not safe for him here, not with those muggers around," said the wife.

"Kid Arachnid just showed up. He's taking care of them right now," said the husband.

"We almost got hurt. Otis almost got hurt," said the wife.

While the couple fought, the baby was staring at Silver. And she was staring back at the baby. Just the sight of a baby reminds Silver of why she came back here to New York. Placing a hand on her stomach as if she needed further reminding, she looks at the baby all the while trying to stay as laid-back as possible. She had the weird urge to wave at the baby. She even cracked a little smile. The baby giggled.

The giggling managed to end his parents' arguing. They immediately see the source of their son's laughter. The silver-haired mercenary sitting on the bench they were standing next to.

"I think Otis likes you, Your Majesty," said the wife.

"He's lovely," Silver said. "How old is he?"

"Four months old," the wife answered.

"Uh, excuse us, Your Highness. We're sorry if our shouting bothered you," the husband apologized.

"I think Otis' laughter distracted me," said Silver.

"We should probably be moving on," said the wife. "Sorry again, Your Majesty."

The couple left the Princess of Symkaria alone. Silver waved at Otis one more time, and Otis giggled at her one more time. Despite what the sight of a baby does to Silver, she cannot help but fall victim to a baby's cuteness. That only makes her more human, Spider-Man would say.

"The sight of the youth does make the royalty wonder about his or her legacy, doesn't it?"

That familiar voice captures Silver's attention. She turns around and sees a familiar face. David Obademi. A former Sable agent who is now a Math teacher at Midtown High, where Miles Morales attends. How odd he happened to run into his former boss here in Central Park.

"Mr. Obademi," Silver greeted formally.

"Your Majesty," David greeted formally as he bowed.

"Don't," Silver ordered.

"Ah, yes," David chuckled in embarrassment. "You do not like it when people bow."

"Neither did my parents, but they did not take it personally," said Silver.

"I supposed I should not be surprised to see you here," said David. "Your personal walks are public knowledge."

"Believe it or not, even I need some fresh air," said Silver.

"Enjoying the local ice cream, I see," David noticed. "You should try the mint-flavored ones. They are quite heavenly."

"One day," said Silver. "I know this is long overdue, but I never got a chance to thank you for supplying humanitarian aid for my people."

"I heard the war in Symakria is drawing to a close," said David. "Seems Ms. Watson's videos and articles have truly turned the tide in your favor."

"I am fortunate to have more countries coming to Symkaria's aid, as well as the Avengers," said Silver.

"But that begs the question. What are you doing here in Manhattan when the war is not yet over?" asked David. "Surely, this thief possessing Sable tech and U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. weaponry cannot be a call for such as an extreme action."

"My business is my own, Obademi. You would do well to remember that, even if you do no work for me anymore," said Silver. "Congratulations on the new teaching job."

Silver walks away and continues to enjoy her ice cream. David was suspicious of his former boss, but he decides to just leave it alone. Whatever her reasons are besides the thief, he trusts those reasons are good.

* * *

Nighttime falls as Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid are in pursuit of New York's #1 art thief, Black Cat, who just stole a small vase from the Manhattan Museum of Contemporary Art. The chase has been going for only thirty seconds and it's still going on. Spider-Man uses almost every web-swinging trick in the book and super-jumps to gain up on her, while Kid Arachnid tries using shortcuts. Black Cat looks over her shoulder at times and catches Kid Arachnid using said shortcuts, forcing her to head the opposite direction of the shortcut.

"You've done this before, haven't you?" Kid Arachnid asked his mentor.

"Millions of times," said Spider-Man. "And even when I do catch her, she gets away."

"Well, you got me now," said Kid Arachnid. "No way she's getting away. In fact, let's see if she sees this coming..."

Kid Arachnid waits until a building blocks him from Black Cat's sight to activate his optic camouflage ability. Thanks to this, he can finally take a shortcut to catch up with Black Cat. When he finally overtakes the feline-themed criminal, he stands on top of a building and waits for her to get close enough to his direction for him to catch her.

"Here, kitty-kitty," Kid Arachnid silently taunted.

Kid Arachnid prepares his web shooter and tries to aim it at the right place, as well as wait for the right time to push the trigger. Unfortunately, his extreme concentration on his aiming made him lose control of his camouflage ability. Black Cat sees him at the last second as he fires an Impact Web shot.

Black Cat dodges the shot in mid-air, much to Kid Arachnid's dismay.

"What th..." He was shocked he failed.

Fortunately, Black Cat's last-second dodge made it easier for Spider-Man to catch her. He manages to fire a web shot at her leg and pulls her towards a building he wall-runs on. Unfortunately, this caused Black Cat to drop the vase. Fortunately, Kid Arachnid catches it with a web line of his own and pulls it towards him, safely catching it.

"Got it," said Kid Arachnid.

Attaching the other end of the web line on the roof, Spider-Man has Black Cat hanging upside-down on the side of the building. He crawls towards her as she smiles at him. Kid Arachnid sits on the roof's edge while holding on to the vase.

"Hey, Felicia. Long time no see," Spider-Man greeted.

"Too long, if you ask me," Black Cat flirted.

"I'd ask where you've been, but you'd probably just flirt your way out of answering," said Spider-Man.

"Aw, you know me very well," Black Cat replied with that devilish smirk.

"Sheesh, talk about desperate," Kid Arachnid commented.

Black Cat looks at the sidekick and says, "Speak for yourself, Kid. I've heard about how you and the lovely Detective DeWolff blow kisses at one another."

"Okay, we do not... we don't blow kisses... or anything like that," Kid Arachnid denied awkwardly.

"Well, good thing you got a professional as a romance mentor," Black Cat said, referring to Spider-Man. "Four girls tangled in his web, unless I'm missing a few more that I don't know about."

"When will it end?" Spider-Man complained. Sarcastically, he adds, "Might as well start a Spidey sitcom. Spidey hitting on every girl in his life. That'll be a hit."

"I see you're still keeping that trademark sense of humor," Black Cat commented.

"And I see you're stealing art again, I see. You never change, do you?" Spider-Man said judgmentally.

"You should know by now, Spider, that that's just how I do things," said Black Cat.

"Well, we're sorry you're going home empty-handed," said Spider-Man.

"But why this vase?" asked Kid Arachnid. "There are plenty of other more valuable things to steal in there?"

"Who says I want the vase?" Black Cat replied.

Black Cat uses her claws to cut the web line wrapped around her leg and grapples away. Spider-Man chases after her, but Black Cat throws a smoke grenade at him. Spider-Man coughs as he falls straight down. Fortunately, he web-zips himself to the side of a building before he could crash onto the hood of a cab. Unfortunately, Black Cat is long gone.

"Any sign of her, Miles?" Spider-Man asked through his comm-link.

"No, she just literally went up in smoke after smoking you. I can't see her anywhere," said Kid Arachnid. "Hey, at least we got the vase back."

"But the vase wasn't what she was after," said Spider-Man. "It's like The Maria a few months ago. She was after what was inside, not the art piece itself."

"So, what was in here?" Kid Arachnid wondered, looking inside the vase, even though he knows it's empty.

"Nothing good, considering who tried to steal it," said Spider-Man. He then groans and says, "Black Cat getting away from me after a long chase. Just another day in New York."

 **Well, I did warn you that this might get dramatic. Black Cat has a mysterious reason for being back in New York and stealing a vase. MJ has some leftover corruption in her. Silver constantly being reminded that she's gonna be a mother. Well, even in a normal day in New York in this story, there's gonna be some drama.**

 **But next time I do a "Another Day in New York" chapter, I'll try to take it easy next time. I'm just so pressured by all the stories I have forced myself to write (Should I blame myself or others for pressuring me?).**

 **Note:**

 **\- Remember Lt. Drake? The police officer with the Spidey watch in the Turf Wars DLC? Well, you'll probably tell me "It was Hammerhead's goons who shot him dead" or something. And maybe I wanna believe that. But then I read one article that theorized Yuri must've accidentally shot Lt. Drake while the lights were out in that Sanitarium battle. It may be very dark and very cruel for me to make that theory true in this story since Yuri was already losing it before Lt. Drake's death, but I think it adds to the dark tone of her story. Seriously, Turf Wars' dark tone surprisingly scared me more than the Devil's Breath crisis. Why is that?**

 **\- I was very confused about David Obademi (the sable agent from the Silver Lining DLC). When Jameson's episode about the Symkarian humanitarian supplies being sold on the black market came right after returning all those supplies to David, I had a feeling that we have been Walter-Hardy'd again (as in some nice guy on side mission turns out to be tricking us). I wanted to include Obademi in this story much earlier, but I didn't know if he was good or bad. I know I shouldn't listen to Jameson, but his timing and words had me suspicious. But recently, I found out that there's a Daily Bugle newspaper in the DLC that tells of Obademi being a school teacher and his sacrifice to help the people of Symkaria. So, turns out I got nothing to be worried about after all. Expect to see David Obademi again.**


	33. Silver Coins and Little Black Lies

**Given that my previous "Another Day in New York" chapter was more dramatic than calming, I thought maybe I'd really focus on more serious stories. For one thing, I thought that if the six characters on the cover photo were gonna be the main focuses, then maybe they should be more connected to each other. If you read the chapter title, you may get an idea on what's coming.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: Guest, gammaxmen80, rex1297, Spideysquad, K2-Black-Panther, josephguy217**

 ** _To roxasduelwielder_: One thing at a time.**

 ** _To TBONE_: Well, it depends on what you define as a "villain".**

 ** _To Guest and rex1297_: Eventually, I'll get to Jessica's story. Eventually.**

 ** _To Dracus7_: Okay, let's get this settle. First of all, yes, I have seen the Ultimate Spider-Man episode with Deadpool (it was annoying and fun at the same time; I loved the fourth wall break battle). Two, yes, I've read your reviews/requests (so, please, stop submitting the same review over and over again). And three, no. No, I'm not adding Deadpool. I keep telling everyone I'm not accepting requests. And if I am gonna add an X-Man in this story, it will be Wolverine. But I don't know when, so don't ask. Just stop. Please. Stop! Don't review unless it's an actual review about the chapter.**

In an abandoned warehouse formerly owned by Hammerhead in the Upper East Side, eight Demons arrived there to set up shot. Since they couldn't return to the bases they used during their boss Martin Li's reign of terror, they had to find other places to hide. Li has been planning a mass breakout from The Raft for months (a plan that involved breaking one supervillain out at a time just so Fisk can sneak some Demons into The Raft's security team during each commotion). Until Li gives the Demons the green light, they have to lay low and wait. Unfortunately for them, they were followed.

Demon #1 gets snatched by the ankle and dragged off the floor. Demon #2 turned around because he heard a noise, only for #1 to be nowhere to be found. Demon #2 suddenly feels something grab the back of his suit and drags him to the ceiling.

Demons #3 and #4 realize that #1 and #2 are missing.

"Na liang ge zei nali? ( _Where are those two?_ )" Demon #3 wondered.

"Keneng shi zhizhu xia ( _Could be the Spider-Man_ )," Demon #4 guessed.

"Guess again, boys!" A voice from above said.

Demons #3 and #4 looked up, only to get a smoke grenade to the face. They cough after the detonation, and then immediately get kicked to unconsciousness. The rest of the Demons are alerted and searched for the intruder. She wasn't in the smokescreen, because it cleared up and no one was standing there.

"Zhe shi mao! ( _It's the Cat!_ )" Demon #5 shouted.

Black Cat sneaks up behind Demon #5 and knees him between the legs from behind. She kicks him in the back and knocks towards Demon #6. Demon #7 and Demon #8 start shooting at her, but she jumps out of the way. She zooms around and grapples a beam to run on a wall. She propels herself towards Demon #7 and kicks him hard. She slashes Demon #8's gun off his hands with her claws and scratches the mask off his face. She stands on her hands and kicks Demon #8 in the face with both feet.

"Too easy," Black Cat bragged.

Demon #5, still conscious, goes for his gun. Suddenly, a red blast comes out of nowhere and blasts the gun further away from his reach. He looks up, only to see a silver boot coming towards his face fast. It hits him and knocks him out. That silver boot belongs to the only person whose entire getup is silver.

Silver Sable.

"I could've handled that," said Black Cat.

"You failed to check if he was truly incapacitated," said Silver. "Talented, skilled, but sporadically careless. You impress and disappoint me, Ms. Hardy."

"And what do I owe the pleasure of this sudden intrusion, Your Highness?" Black Cat asked as she mockingly bowed.

"The anonymous tip that sent you here," said Silver.

"That was you?" Black Cat guessed.

"I know you are capable. I've seen when we first fought. I wanted to see it again," said Silver.

"Well, I'm glad I can impress you," Black Cat replied sarcastically. "Are you here to arrest me?"

"No," said Silver. "I require your assistance."

"Wow, Spider wasn't kidding. You have grown," Black Cat mocked.

"Do not test me, Ms. Hardy. You are lucky I am not delivering you to Ryker's right now," Silver warned. "And before you refuse, I promise you fair compensation should our mission be successful."

"How much are you offering?" asked Black Cat.

"We discuss the mission and then we will speak of your payment," said Silver. "Rest assured, I have more than enough to satisfy you, assuming your demands have limitations."

"So, I guess it's a girl's night out then," Black Cat commented. "Where shall we begin?"

"My APC," said Silver. "But first, we need to make sure these Demons don't escape."

Silver tosses eight hi-tech disks on the ground, which release electric bolas that automatically wrapped themselves around the eight unconscious Demons. It didn't electrocute, but it will keep them from escaping.

"We should go. Commissioner Drew shall be arriving in ten minutes," said Silver.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

While the NYPD arrest the Demons in the warehouse, Silver Sable and Black Cat are in Silver's personal APC to discuss the mission that Silver needs help with. The dashboard comes with a holographic touch screen, allowing Silver to give Black Cat some visuals regarding the mission. Black Cat puts her feet up and leans back while Silver works.

"Put down your feet, Ms. Hardy," Silver said threateningly.

Black Cat raises her hands and takes her feet off the dashboard. Silver just finished and showed Black Cat an un-detailed blueprint. A blueprint of a piece of tech from Sable International. It looked like a hi-tech battering ram.

"That is an experimental prototype of a multi-purpose projectile weapon, intended to be used for both civil unrest and urban warfare," said Silver.

"Sounds quite useful," Black Cat commented.

"I brought it with me, just in case," said Silver. "But someone stole it."

"Someone's always stealing your stuff, huh?" Black Cat teased.

"Unfortunately," Silver replied with a little bit of sarcasm. "I assume you've heard of the thief who traveled here from Symkaria."

"Still haven't caught him? So much for the great Silver Sable," Black Cat mocked.

"Do you want your pay or do you wish to keep conjuring condescending insults?" Silver questioned, aggravated.

"You still haven't told me how much you're paying me," said Black Cat.

"Spider-Man was not wrong. You clearly only act upon your own interest," Silver replied. "Six figures. Seven, if it's not enough, but that is my final offer."

"I'll think about it," Black Cat replied with a smirk.

"I tracked the thief to a warehouse in Brooklyn. Problem is, he's prepared for me," said Silver. "I can't hack him systems remotely and he has the entire area under surveillance."

"And you need the help of a professional thief like me to sneak around all that security," Black Cat guessed. "Why not ask the Spider? I mean, don't you want some _alone_ time with him."

Silver glares at Black Cat in response. Black Cat can only roll her eyes. _Jealous much_ , she though humorously.

"He'll sell that prototype if we don't stop him now," said Silver. "But first, we have to prevent him from calling backup. He has his own team of armed thugs who live just a couple blocks from the warehouse. We incapacitate them, the thief will be alone and vulnerable."

"And that's why you were testing me using the Demons. You wanted to see how I fare against a building full of enemies," said Black Cat.

"If you choose to accept this mission, then we must be off now. If you refuse, then I only leave you with a four-figure reward for the Demons," said Silver.

"Oh, you bet I'm not gonna miss out on the fun. Plus, time to actually get to know you," said Black Cat. "I wonder what makes you so special, Princess, aside from being a princess."

"Do not call me that," Silver said threateningly.

"On and off with the aggressive mood. I think I'm beginning to understand you better," Black Cat replied.

Silver ignores the black-suited cat burglar, or at least trying her best to. The princess opens a pouch on her belt and takes out a piece of chocolate. She opens it and pops the chocolate in her mouth. Black Cat couldn't help but notice that Silver has more than one piece of chocolate on her belt.

"Someone needs a royal buffet first, Princess?" Black Cat insulted playfully.

Silver starts driving without even telling Black Cat to buckle up, causing physics to push her back on her seat uncomfortably. _This is gonna be fun_ , Black Cat thought. She buckles in and leans back as she prepares for an enjoyable evening.

Unbeknownst to the two, they were being watched. Testing out his upgraded Stealth Suit (Thank you, Mr. Stark!), Spider-Man watches as the Sable APC rides off. He was following Black Cat tonight, having spotted her during his test run with the Stealth Suit. He found her at the Demons' warehouse, but before he could follow her inside, Silver Sable showed up in her cloaked airship (she, however, wasn't cloaked). He stayed in the shadows until he saw Black Cat go into Silver's APC, which made him suspicious.

"Where are those two lovely ladies going at this time of night?" Spider-Man wondered.

 _"Lovely?" MJ questioned, listening through his comm-link._

"Felicia and Sable," Spider-Man clarified.

 _"Well, given your history with them, why wouldn't you call them lovely?" MJ teased._

"Hanging up now," Spider-Man said, embarrassed.

* * *

Silver and Black Cat meet up at a street close to a motel in Brooklyn where the thief's friends reside in. They couldn't show up there in a Sable APC, or else people will know about what they're doing. So, after ditching the APC at the Symkarian Embassy, Silver rides on her (repaired) motorcycle while Black Cat grapples her way across the Brooklyn Bridge. Black Cat shows up about thirty-six seconds after Silver parked.

Black Cat notices that Silver was popping more chocolate in her mouth. Either the Princess of Symkaria was really hungry or she's addicted. Silver had to stop when she saw her partner arrive.

"You know, if you wanted, you could have stopped for drive-thru," said Black Cat.

Silver ignores Black Cat again and just swallows all the chocolate she chewed up. _How much chocolate did she bring_ , Black Cat wondered.

"Can I have one?" asked Black Cat.

"Not now," said Silver.

"Someone's in a bad mood tonight," Black Cat commented.

"Remember, incapacitate them silently," said Silver.

"Since when are you the non-lethal type?" asked Black Cat.

"Since this mission requires stealth," said Silver.

"Or the Spider just got in your head," said Black Cat.

"Move," Silver ordered.

Silver moves forward. Black Cat rolls her eyes, irritated and amused by the princess, before grappling her way towards the motel. Black Cat stands by on a rooftop across the motel, waiting for Silver to give her an update. While waiting, Black Cat thinks about what the problem with Silver Sable is. Maybe she's just annoying to her, but the princess' mood and eating habits were weirding her out.

 _"Six men. Five rooms. Two brothers share one," Silver reported. "7, 9, 10, 14, and 21. The brothers are in Room 21."_

"No problem," said Black Cat. "Just leave some for me."

 _"This is not a game," said Silver._

"Wow, Spider wasn't kidding. The war's turned you into a killjoy," said Black Cat.

 _"Hardy!" Silver scolded._

Black Cat decides to stop aggravating the princess and move forward. She stealthily heads for Room 21, where the two brothers are in. They're just watching a basketball game, probably wanting to finish it before they meet with their boss. That's good. With the two distracted by the noise of the game, she can sneak in through the bathroom window. She quietly cuts a circle on the glass and pulls it out slowly, leaving a hole big enough for her hand to fit. She unlocks the window's lock and opens the window. She jumps in quietly.

She was about to pull a surprise attack when she heard one of the brothers walking towards the bathroom. As soon as he opened the door, she pulls him inside and slams the door shut, surprising the brother.

"What the?" Thug #2 wondered.

He can hear muffled screaming in the bathroom. He went over to investigate. He found his brother's body on the ground with five bleeding holes on his chest. They're weren't bullet holes, however. One thing's for sure, his brother is dead.

"Jack, no!" Thug #2 cried.

Suddenly, Thug #1 gets grabbed in a choke hold by Black Cat. He tries to fight back, but one claw into his gut prevents him from trying harder.

"You work for Sarkissian," she whispered with anger. "Who are you?"

Thug #1 grabs a cyanide pill and chews on it. Black Cat drops him and watches in horror as the thug wriggles and dies. Foam-like substance that look like spit escaped his mouth in very gross fashion. _Gross_ , Black Cat thought.

"Hail... HYDRA," Thug #1 said.

And the thug stopped moving. He just committed suicide. Black Cat just stood, wondering about what the thug said before he died.

"HYDRA?" Black Cat wondered, shocked. "Sarkissian. HYDRA. What does it all mean?"

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Meanwhile, in Room 14, Silver Sable is taking care of the last thug. She had taken out the other three in Rooms 7, 9, and 10 and hid their bodies in closets, which she glued shot with some glue-based weapon she recently created, just in case. As for the thug in Room 14, he's a big one. 6'5'' and weighing in at 240 pounds. Between that and a confined space, it wasn't gonna be as easy as the previous three fights, even with all her training.

But she hasn't gotten hit yet, so that's a plus.

"I'm gonna smoosh you into paste!" The brute shouted.

He charges at her, but she jumps out of the way, causing him to hit his face against the wall.

"Primitive fight banter," Silver joked.

Silver activates her shield as the brute throws punches. Fortunately, her shield can take any punch. She whacks him in the face with her shield and lands a jump kick to his chest, causing him to stumble backwards and hit the wall again. He charges again, but she slides between his legs before he could clobber her. He turns around, only to get hit in the face by a flying roundhouse kick. Silver lands two strong kicks on the upper body, a shield strike to the face, and then finishes with powerful flip kick to the jaw. The brute falls on his back and lies unconscious.

"Not much of a challenge still," Silver commented. "He won't fit in the closet, so where..."

BOOM!

Silver heads outside to see where the explosion came from. It came from Room 21 and the damage spread through the other rooms. Silver heads to the wreckage and found no sign of her black-suited companion.

"Hardy," Silver growled.

* * *

Black Cat was grappling her way back to Manhattan. She did not want to be part of Silver's mission anymore, even with the money she's offering. Just when she thought she was home free, she was snatched out of the air by something invisible. She and the invisible person landed and tumbled on top of a building. The invisible person turns visible. It was Silver, who caught her using her jetpack.

"What the hell, Sable?" asked Black Cat.

"You disobeyed a direct order, alerted the thief to our involvement," said Silver. "And you just left me there to handle your mess."

"I don't want to do this anymore, Your Highness," said Black Cat. "You can offer me eight, nine, maybe ten figures and it won't work. I'm done, Sable."

"Care you explain why?" asked Silver.

"I have nothing to say to you," said Black Cat. "We're not friends, Sable. You hired me for this job. Well, I quit."

"You are not quitting," said Silver. "This is a dire situation that will result in..."

"Oh, don't give me that," Black Cat interrupted. "I don't know if you knew or you didn't, but I don't want to know. So, why don't you take your seven figures and buy yourself a castle here in New York, Prince..."

Silver cuts Black Cat off by punching her in the face. Black Cat falls down and holds her aching cheek as she looks up at the angry princess. Silver looks at her own hand and drops the angry face, replacing it with a guilty face.

"My apologies," Silver apologized.

"You are definitely no Disney princess," Black Cat commented.

"Damn right," Silver replied.

Silver picks up another piece of chocolate from her pouch and eats it.

"Okay, we gotta talk about your diet, girl," said Black Cat. "Chocolates. Not the best for keeping your bones strong."

"I am aware of the health risks of chocolate, Ms. Hardy," Silver replied.

"Oh, so maybe you got a little Disney princess in you after all," Black Cat insulted.

"Why did you set off an explosion at the motel?" asked Silver. "I will not ask again, Hardy. If you want this to escalate, be my guest."

Black Cat stands up and remains silent for a little while. After half a minute, she responds to the princess' question by trying to kick her in the head. Silver ducks from Black Cat's kick and kicks the villainess in the stomach.

"I choose escalation," Black Cat said.

"So be it," Silver replied.

And so begins the rematch. Last time, the fight was evenly matched, but Silver won in the end. The fight started with swift kicks and a bunch of dodging. Black Cat goes for two quick kicks, but Silver times them right to block them. After dodging another high kick, Silver palm-strikes Black Cat in the shoulder. She follows this with a kick to the stomach, a roundhouse kick to the thigh, and then a spin kick to the face, knocking Black Cat down.

"You were holding back last time, weren't you?" Black Cat asked.

"But you're not. I think it's clear you're outmatched," said Silver.

Silver plays dirty and detonates a smoke bomb. While Silver is blinded, Black Cat sneaks up behind her and kicks her in the back. Silver turns around to see Black Cat running away. Silver activates her jetpack and chases after her. It wasn't long until Silver grabs Black Cat again. This time, they crash through a building's top floor window.

"I'm beginning to see why Spider admires you so much," Black Cat commented.

The fight continues. Black Cat moves as quick as she can, throwing kicks as fast as she can. Silver gets hit a few times in the face and legs, but she remains on her two feet. Black Cat slashes Silver across the face, but Silver counters with a spinning hook kick to the temple. Silver ignores the bleeding and charges at Black Cat. She jumps and kicks her in the stomach with both feet. Black Cat was about to throw another smoke grenade, only for Silver to knock it off her hands by throwing a little disk at it. The smoke bomb goes off, but only clouds the other side of the room.

"Dirty tactics will not save you," said Silver.

Black Cat slashes and kicks with so much ferocity that she manages to land a few good hits, as well as leaving a couple of cuts on Silver's arms. Silver plays defense, blocking and dodging as many kicks and slashes as she can before she can strike. When Black Cat went for a roundhouse, Silver goes low and spins. Silver strikes Black Cat with a hard kick to the back and follows with a punch across the nose. Silver grabs Black Cat off the floor, throws her to a wall, and then tackles her with her shield, pinning her to the wall.

Black Cat tries punching Silver in the stomach, only to punch something metal and hurt her hand.

"Ow," Black Cat cried.

Silver responds by punching Black Cat in the face three times before ceasing. Silver turns around, deactivates her shield, and catches her breath. Black Cat, on the other hand, was starting to feel too banged up to keep fighting. Also, her hand still hurts.

"What are you wearing under that top? Steel?" Black Cat complained.

"Why did you leave?" Silver asked again. She was tired of games. "Answer me!"

Black Cat slowly gets up and gives her answer. "Those thugs, they work for Mayor Sarkissian. I listened to the brothers' chatter and her name came up. But that is not all. One of the brothers offed themselves with a cyanide pill. Before he died, he said, Hail HYDRA."

Silver was shocked to hear this. Everyone who is everyone knows who HYDRA is. An evil Nazi organization whom Captain America fought in World War II.

"And Sarkissian, she's my new client," Black Cat revealed.

"So, you tried to pin her men's murders on me," Silver guessed. "What does she have on you?"

"I've told you enough," said Black Cat. "Point is, this is way bigger than I expected. All I expected was to do some odd jobs from Sarkissian and I can go free. But HYDRA... not what I signed up for."

"And you chose to blow up their corpses instead of searching for proof to expose Sarkissian?" Silver questioned.

"Even if they did, I can't risk it," said Black Cat. "One slip up, I lose everything. Don't ask me. I'm not telling."

"But now you understand the magnitude of the problem," said Silver. "If HYDRA has gotten their hands on my prototype, then it's chaos for the world."

"Not my problem," said Black Cat.

"You put your own needs above others, but you are still willing to risk your life for Spider-Man. The embodiment of selfishness truly stands before me," Silver replied.

"Well, not every costumed individual in this city is a hero," said Black Cat.

"Help me secure the weapon and I can offer you something more than money. My aid in your freedom," said Silver. "I have always suspected Sarkissian to be more than what she seemed. You just confirmed my suspicions. Help me and I'll help you."

"Can I take your word for it?" asked Black Cat.

"I don't expect you to trust me. I only expect you to believe me," said Silver.

"Trust, but verify?" Black Cat guessed.

"Not exactly, but yes," said Silver. "Besides, wouldn't you want to do this for your beloved?"

Black Cat sighs and says, "Well, I don't want to give him more work than he already has, I suppose."

"So, what do you say we finish this girl's night out?" Silver asked with a smile.

Black Cat smirked and said, "Let's go."

While the two girls exit the building through the stairway to the rooftop, Spider-Man is once again sneaking up on them in his Stealth Suit. He would've talked to them, but then he heard what they wear talking about. He had to stop and listen. As soon as Black Cat said the word "HYDRA," Spider-Man had to cover his mouth to prevent himself from saying "what" very loudly. He kept his hand over his mouth and kept on listening, waiting for them to leave. And when they stopped talking, he stopped hanging on the wall and crawled in through the shattered window. The two girls were already gone, unfortunately.

"HYDRA? HYDRA?! The evil Nazi HYDRA?!" Spider-Man uttered out loud.

 _"Yes, Pete. There is only one organization in the world called HYDRA, unless you count that soccer team from that cartoon," said MJ._

"I have to tell the Avengers. They have to know about this," said Spider-Man.

 _"Later. Right now, you gotta keep following them," said MJ. "Whatever this prototype weapon is, if it's Sable tech and it's in HYDRA's hands, then the entire world is at stake."_

"No problem," said Spider-Man. "Still, it's actually kinda nice to see them getting along. Trying to, at least. I never thought that Sable would ask someone like Felicia for help."

 _"Maybe she wanted to keep you out of it for your protection," MJ guessed. "Asking a known criminal for help seems easier when it comes to handling unavoidable collateral damage."_

"Is it bad for me to say that I'm touched that she cares about me?" Spider-Man asked. "Sable, I mean. She's just so... so..."

 _"Harder to read than Egyptian hieroglyphs?" MJ finished the sentence for him. "Oh, my God. You're not falling for her, are you?"_

"Would you cut that out? I'm allowed to have girl-space-friends in my life," Spider-Man said, embarrassed. "Besides, Sable's too old for me."

 _"You flirted with Yuri, who is, like, 2 years older than Sable," MJ reminded._

"Hanging up again," said Spider-Man. After hanging up, he complains, "Why does the mask have to be so attractive?"

Spider-Man continues following Black Cat and Silver Sable. Since webs are gonna leave a trace, he follows them by wall-running and jumping. Along the way, he receives a notification from the "Just the Facts" app. Time to listen to the infamous J. Jonah Jameson once again. Why his podcast is still running, no one will ever know.

"Why do I have a feeling I know what this is gonna be about?" Spider-Man said to himself.

He starts listening.

 _"Bing! Bang! Boom! Bing-Bang-Boom in Brooklyn!" Jameson started. "As if we haven't had enough going on here in the island of Manhattan, our neighbors in Brooklyn are in danger of suffering what we suffer on a daily basis. No, I'm not talking about Spider-Man for once. I'm talking about two certain femme fatales. Silver Sable and the Black Cat. There are pictures and videos on the internet showing them leaving Manhattan at nearly the exact same time. And then a motel goes up in flames. Coincidence? I THINK NOT! Because not only has Silver Sable been seen at that very motel but the Black Cat has also been sighted near that motel, swinging from rooftop to rooftop like the spider-themed menace she's infatuated." Calming down, he says, "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up Spider-Man. I will stop." He proceeds to the main topic. "But back to the important matter. Are Sable and the Cat in cahoots? Is Symkarian royalty working with a known felon? What could be the motivation behind this? Is the Black Cat now working as Silver Sable's personal bodyguard? Are they deliberately blowing up motels because they partied hard and drank too much? Or has Spider-Man's influence on Silver Sable corrupted her? I know, I promised I wouldn't bring up Spider-Man... BUT IT'S THE ONLY LOGICAL EXPLANATION! Silver Sable has been spending too much time with that web-slinger that she has become more comfortable in the presence of masked psychos. Or are these two ladies simply bonding over having a man in their lives who throws women away when he gets bored of them? Think on it, folks. Especially you, ladies."_

"Ugh, anymore of this and I might want to vandalize his real mustache," Spider-Man complained. "Or just tell him that Spider-Man is dating MJ."

* * *

At the warehouse two blocks from the motel, the thief who stole the prototype Sable tech is sitting in front of his computer, monitoring the area. From hidden cameras to booby traps, he had to make sure Silver Sable will regret following him here to Brooklyn. Speaking of Silver Sable, there she was, arriving at the front on her little silver bike.

"You just had to take out my backup, huh?" The thief complained, having heard about the motel explosion.

Suddenly, the power went out. The lights are out and he can't see anything on his computer. Just tapping the spacebar multiple times isn't just gonna make it start up again.

"Fine, I'll handle this myself," said the thief.

He grabs a rifle and prepares to head out of his office. Unfortunately, as soon as he opened the door, he got snatched like a toy in a claw machine. He gets dragged up and dropped his rifle. Dragged up to a beam, he comes face to face with the one who grabbed him. Black Cat.

"Hey, buddy," Black Cat greeted.

Silver walks into the office and says, "Don't let him escape."

Silver slams the door shut.

"Wow, looks like you made someone really, really mad," Black Cat said to the thief. "Funny. I was expecting a fight. But this was just too easy."

"I'll die before I talk," said the thief.

"Well, what's there to talk about? You stole weapons from Sable and U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.," said Black Cat. "I guess this is where the hero says, you're gonna have to give back what you stole."

"What are you talking about?" The thief asked, confused. "Wait, do you think I'm that thief from Symkaria? I don't expect their accent."

"Well, your accent is European, that's for sure," said Black Cat.

"What did Sable tell you?" asked the thief.

"Doesn't matter. You're not gonna live much longer to make use of the answer," said Black Cat.

Black Cat prepares her claws for... the K word... or the M word.

"Wait, check the crates," said the thief. "There is no Sable or U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. tech in here."

Black Cat drops the thief, causing him to land hard on his left arm. Black Cat opens one crate and finds guns in it, none of them from Sable or U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. She opens the next crate and sees grenades, also none from the two rivaling factions in the Symkarian Civil War. More guns in the next crate. Surveillance tech in the next one. Car parts in the next one. None of these belong to Sable or U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.

"I've been set up," Black Cat realized.

Black Cat hears choking behind her. The thief just bit on a cyanide pill. He lies down shaking and leaking foamy spit out of his mouth until he was no longer able to shake or move or anything. _Gross_ , Black Cat thought again.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Black Cat kicks the door to the office open in anger. She finds Silver Sable burning some pictures. She couldn't get a good look at them since they already turning into ashes. Silver stomps the flames out and moves on to the computer. The power comes back on and she starts deleting files. Black Cat walks up to the princess and glares at her. She was not happy at all, but Silver just sat there looking stoic.

"I lied," Silver confessed.

"Wow, just like that?" Black Cat questioned.

"I did not know about HYDRA, but I needed someone to help me get into this warehouse," said Silver.

"Well, you may not have known my secret, but I know yours," said Black Cat. "The unusual change in mood. The chocolate cravings. That metal something covering your stomach. I may not have had experience carrying something _special_ in my stomach, but any girl can tell. You're..."

"Pregnant," Silver said at the same time as Black Cat.

Silver didn't even seem too worried about Black Cat finding out. She knew that her cravings for chocolate were gonna give her away. She couldn't help herself. That's more apparent when she grabbed yet another piece of chocolate from her pouch and ate it.

"Those pictures. What were in those?" asked Black Cat.

"I was... at a supply store... for babies and pregnant women," said Silver. "In disguise. But the thief... well, not a thief at all... he followed me there. If he leaked the photos, people will come to the correct conclusion."

"Why don't you want the people to know you're pregnant?" asked Black Cat. "You're gonna start showing soon, you know."

"If they find out, they will want to know who the father is," said Silver.

"Well, who is the father?" asked Black Cat.

Silver didn't say anything. Black Cat reads her face closely and carefully. Then her eyes opened wider upon realization.

"Spider," Black Cat guessed.

Looking at the art thief with seriousness, Silver says, "You speak a word of this to anyone, then you can forget about your freedom."

"Wait, so you're still keeping your word about helping me with Sarkissian?" asked Black Cat.

"I did not lie about my wish to help you," said Silver. "You may not have a reason to trust me in the future, but you can still count of my aid."

Silver walks pass Black Cat and leaves the office, leaving the art thief to think about accepting her help. Silver was about to leave the warehouse until she felt something odd. It's like something was watching her. Someone. And that someone is very close. Very, very close. Keeping herself still as she listens to and feels her surroundings, she steadies herself for an ambush.

Feeling that the time is right, Silver turns around and unleashes a jumping crescent kick, hitting her invisible would-be-attacker in the face. That "would-be-attacker" turned visible as he lied on the ground whining in pain.

Fortunately, it was not a hostile. It was Spider-Man, wearing a black suit with eyes and a spider symbol that glow green.

"My apologies," Silver apologized as he knelt down next to him. "Again."

"Right in the jaw. Every time," Spider-Man complained. "Next time this happens, I might need a dentist... ow! Ah! Oh!"

"Why were you sneaking up on me then?" asked Silver.

"I was gonna turn visible and just poke you on the shoulder, but you hit me first," said Spider-Man. "Ack... it hurts to talk."

"Then don't talk. For once," Silver said in a playfully insulting way.

"Well, well, well. Look who it is," Black Cat said, having seen the hero she admires. "Our Friendly Neighborhood Stalker."

"I'd make an excuse, but I guess in the end, it was stalking," said Spider-Man.

"Nice suit," Black Cat complimented. "Looks awfully similar to the one I gave to you."

"It's a stealth suit. It's meant to be black. Nothing to do with your gift," Spider-Man explained.

"So, why did you stalk us?" Black Cat smirked.

"I followed you to the Demons' base and I got curious," said Spider-Man. "What were you two doing? And did that guy back there kill himself with some suicide pill?"

"Obviously," Black Cat replied.

"He's a weapons dealer. I hoped he would be linked to the thief who stole my weapons, but I could not infiltrate this place without assistance," said Silver.

"And the motel?" asked Spider-Man.

"That was all me," Black Cat confessed unapologetically.

"Why didn't you just ask for my help?" asked Spider-Man.

"Isn't it obvious? Using a criminal is easier than using a hero. I get blamed for wrongdoing if something goes wrong and you keep your hands clean," said Black Cat.

"Yet, you still agreed to help," said Silver.

"Well, I expect that seven-figure payment to be legit, Sable. I'll collect next time we meet," said Black Cat. "Take care, Spider."

After seductively touching Spider-Man shoulder and face, Black Cat leaves the warehouse and grapples her way back to Manhattan. Spider-Man massages his still-aching jaw while Silver looks at him mildly amused.

"You two seem like best buds," Spider-Man commented.

"We are not friends," said Silver. "But we will definitely be doing business again in the future. She's capable."

"Yeah, I saw what she did to the security system. She's great," said Spider-Man.

"You were not eavesdropping on our conversation in the office, were you?" asked Silver.

"No, I got in just in time to see a dead body and Felicia barging into the office," said Spider-Man. "Why? Is there something I need to know?"

"Nothing that concerns you," said Silver.

* * *

Spider-Man returns to the secret lab underneath Stark Tower. He had to tell the Avengers about HYDRA. He contacts Iron Man, who links their communication to the other Avengers' comm-links. That way, Spider-Man can tell all of them at once. Plus, it would be nice to talk to all of them again, even if they're not in the same room. The only Avenger that Spider-Man has talked to since the Kree invasion is Tony Stark.

 _"New York's new mayor works for HYDRA?" Iron Man reacted._

"Wait, you know about HYDRA?" asked Spider-Man.

 _"HYDRA has been working underground since World War II," Captain America revealed._

 _"Literally underground," said Hawkeye._

"Why haven't you told the world?" asked Spider-Man.

 _"S.H.I.E.L.D.," Black Widow answered. "They preferred to keep HYDRA a secret from the world, for their protection."_

"Well, I'm the last person on Earth to judge someone for keeping that kind of secret," said Spider-Man. "Look, you guys gotta get back here. I can't touch Sarkissian."

 _"Sorry, Spider-Man, but we have a crisis on our own to take care of," said Captain America._

"What crisis?" asked Spider-Man.

 _"Morgenthau left Symkaria, along with a lot of interesting tech he didn't want us to get our hands on," said Iron Man. "Rhodey offered to take care of the rest of U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. while the Avengers search for their leader."_

 _"And if HYDRA has infiltrated City Hall there in New York, then S.H.I.E.L.D. and us are gonna be busy looking for them," said Captain America._

 _"But good thing we already have an operative there in New York," said Iron Man._

"Really? Who? Ant-Man? Thor? Scarlet Witch?" Spider-Man asked excitedly.

 _"You, kid," Iron Man answered._

"Wait, me?" Spider-Man reacted, shocked.

 _"You're not 15 anymore, kid. You've handled street thugs, supervillains, and aliens. We can trust you," said Iron Man. "Maybe not a 100%, but just enough."_

"Whoa... really... I... I won't let you guys down. Scout's honor!" Spider-Man promised.

 _"We know you won't, kid," Iron Man said confidently. "Just try not to blow up the city again."_

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Felicia Hardy returns to her apartment. Unfortunately, she wasn't going to be having a good night sleep. She receives a call from an unknown number. She already knows who it is. Taking a deep breath, she answers the call. The voice on the other end, it doesn't sound happy.

 _"You eliminated my unit in Brooklyn," said Ophelia Sarkissian._

"Sable got me a job. I didn't know it would involve the Brooklyn unit. Hell, I didn't even know you had a team in Brooklyn," said Felicia.

 _"So, you weren't conspiring against me. You were just stupid," said Ophelia._

"Hey, your man in Brooklyn spied on her. She found that out, and she chose to ask me for help. This disaster was inevitable," said Felicia.

 _"Don't forget, Ms. Hardy. I know where your father is," Ophelia said threateningly. "And if you cross me again, knowingly or unknowingly, he's gonna be dragged into our game."_

"No," Felicia cried fearfully. "Please, leave him alone. I'll do whatever you say."

 _"Then answer me this," said Ophelia. "Does Sable know?"_

"No, she doesn't," Felicia lied.

A long silence made Felicia fear that Ophelia caught her lie. She had to resist gulping in fear because that would also be a giveaway.

 _"Hmm, well, just in case, I need you to keep an eye on her," said Ophelia, sounding like she believed the lie. "Your father is alive and unaware that I am tracking him. You would do well to remember that, Ms. Hardy."_

Ophelia hangs up, leaving Felicia to once again fear for her father's life. This is what Felicia promised to Ophelia. Her services to HYDRA in exchange for a reunion with her father.

 **Yuri becomes Wraith. Janice becomes Beetle. Fisk and Li team up to organize a breakout from The Raft. Black Cat is working for HYDRA. Walter Hardy is on Ophelia Sarkissian's radar, completely unaware. The Avengers entrust Spidey with purging New York from HYDRA's control. Felicia knows Silver is pregnant. How did I go from fun one-shots to writing this complicated of a storyline? Oh, well, it's still fun.**

 **So, what do you think?**


	34. Year Nine

**For this chapter, I'm gonna be adding some relaxing moments while trying to progress the plot. Hey, I can have my cake and eat it too.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: roxasduelwielder, Vanitas50 or Shadow25, josephguy217, gammaxmen80, K2-Black-Panther, God Awful, rex1297, Frank20001023**

 **(Although, I gotta be honest, I know your reviews are your own to write, but I'm kinda disappointed no one said anything about Silver and Felicia's team up and dynamic)**

 ** _To roxasduelwielder, Vanitas50 or Shadow25, and gammaxmen80_: Thanks for the motivational comments about this story's change in direction.**

 ** _To guest_: Well, I did say I was worried some people would come to THAT conclusion about Silver's pregnancy. But the full answers are still gonna have to wait.**

 ** _To God Awful_: No need to apologize. I know people got personal stuff to do at times.**

 _"Welcome to Just the Facts with me, the most trustworthy voice you can trust to speak truth to your ears, J. Jonah Jameson," Jameson started. "Today is a special day, folks... for Spider-Man's fan club and the web-head himself. It's the ninth anniversary of the day Spider-Man first entered our lives. NINE YEARS! Can you believe that this obvious menacingly threatening criminal has been allowed to roam free and vandalize our town for NINE YEARS now?! Sure, maybe half the city is happy that he's been around 'saving our lives,' as they would call it..."_

 _Jared butted in to correct his boss._

 _"I DON'T CARE IF THE POLLS SAY 75 OR 82%, JARED! I AM SAYING IT'S HALF THE CITY! HALF!" Jameson shouted. "NOW, GET OUT OF MY FACE!"_

 _Jared did the wise thing and backed off._

 _"Now, where was I?" Jameson continued. "Oh, yes. The nine-year anniversary that Spider-Man fanboys and fangirls wouldn't shut up about on the internet. We have a senior citizen from F.E.A.S.T. who wanted to speak about this special occasion... if you can even call it special. Caller, are you with us?"_

 _"Thank you for having me, Mr. Jameson." It was Howard, a friend of Spidey's who owns a family of pigeons._

 _"So, what can you say about Spider-Man? Where do you stand with him?" asked Jameson._

 _"Well, I can't say much that hasn't already been said before. He's just like every other New Yorker," said Howard. "The day we met, it didn't feel like I was talking to a superhero. He's just a guy who lives through the struggles of life like we do. A humorous fellow, if I must mention."_

 _"And you're certain it wasn't all just some act?" Jameson assumed. "I mean, how can a guy like him possibly be NORMAL?"_

 _"Maybe you should see for yourself, Mr. Jameson. He's a colorful conversationalist, but he knows when to be funny and when to be a friend. He helped me manage my finances and it helped out... for a while, at least. But I still appreciate it, but not as much as when he helped me recover my missing pigeon friends..."_

 _"Wait, wait, wait," Jameson interrupted. "Sorry to interrupt you, mister, but are you telling me that Spider-Man's hunt for pigeons last year was 'your' pigeons?"_

 _"I've been hearing about this accusation all over F.E.A.S.T. Another reason I agreed to make a call is to shed light on the matter," said Howard. "Yes, those pigeons belonged to my wife. Spidey was just helping me get them back, and he was more than happy to. You'd think someone like him has better things to do, but no, he actually made time to help me get back what my wife left me."_

 _"Oh," Jameson uttered, embarrassed upon realization. "Uh, well... are you sure he didn't eat one of your pigeons, thinking you wouldn't notice one missing?"_

 _"Mr. Jameson, he's just a man under that mask. He eats cheeseburgers and donuts like the rest of us," said Howard. "Why do you think he puts so much effort into protecting us?"_

 _"Uh, well... I... I'm glad you got your pigeons back, mister," Jameson said awkwardly. "Excuse me for a minute. JARED, GET RID OF EVERY THEORY PAPER REGARDING PIGEONS!"_

* * *

Another day, another crime for Spider-Man to stop. Today, the NYPD and the Demons are having a shootout outside Stark Tower. Thirteen Demons were traveling in two separate trucks when an anonymous tip lured the cops to them. Fourteen officers are at the scene. Commissioner Jessica Drew was present to help contain the situation. Fortunately, Jessica brought something with her that is more than just a simple handgun. It was in her car. With the NYPD losing this shootout (two dead officers, only one incapacitated Demon), she needed it right now.

Unfortunately for her, the need for this extra something might be delayed. A red, blue, and white blur descended from above, much to her disdain.

"I think you kids need summer school to knock some sense in your heads," Spider-Man started.

Spider-Man jumps around, dodging bullets, as he fires web shot after web shot, covering the Demons' faces, arms, and legs in webs. He webs Demon #2's gun away from him and tosses it back at his face. He webs the gun back and spins around, hitting Demons #3, #4, and #5 in their masked faces, knocking them out. Spider-Man ends the spinning by tossing the gun towards the police's side, all the while firing a Trip Mine at Demon #6, sticking him to side of one of the trucks.

"I thought we covered gun safety in the last semester? I guess you children need another lesson," Spider-Man joked.

"Get out of here, Spider-Man! You're interfering!" Jessica shouted.

"What you call _interfering_ , I call helping," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man no-look-webs Demon #7's face, pulls him towards him, and then knocks him out with an aerial spin kick. Spider-Man web-strikes Demon #8, pulling himself in the middle of the Demon's side of the fight. He uppercuts Demon #8 a few feet into the air and then web-yanks him back down, webbing him to the road. He dodges Demon #9's next shot and webs his face during the graceful dodge. He leaps up to dodge more bullets as he unleashes one of his special moves: Web Blossom.

"Shower time!" Spider-Man quipped.

Demons #9, #10, and #11 are webbed to either a truck or a wall, while Demons #12 and #13 - both who are brutes - are only webbed up but not down completely. It didn't take long for both of them to break out of the webbing. Lighting up their hands with negative energy, they prepare for an up-close encounter with the web-slinger himself.

"Up close and personal, huh? I love and hate that, to be honest," said Spider-Man.

"Go get 'em, Spidey!" One officer cheered.

That officer's colleagues glare at him, shutting him up.

Demon Brute #1 jumps and smashes the ground with his negatively charged fists, sending a wave of negative energy towards Spider-Man. He jumps backwards with great distance to avoid getting hit by the shockwave. Demon Brute #2 charges at him and lunges in for a negatively charged punch. Spider-Man slides in between Demon Brute #2's legs and kicks him in the back hard with a zip-kick, knocking him down. Demon Brute #1 grabs Spider-Man and tries to squash him to death in his arms.

"Agh! I love hugs... but this is too much love," Spider-Man joked, in spite of the pain.

Spider-Man uses an Electric Web to electrocute Demon Brute #1 and free himself from his grip. His Spider Sense warns him of Demon Brute #2, who is right behind him and about to land a punch. By jumping out of the way, Demon Brute #1 ends up punching his fellow brute in the face, knocking him down. Spider-Man webs Demon Brute #1 to the road, keeping him stuck there.

"Hey, thanks for the help," Spider-Man joked. "Maybe you can help me again and just surrender."

Demon Brute #2 was about to attack again, only to get caught in a net seemingly made of flexible steel. It shocks the brute until he was unconscious. The net made sure he was safely secured.

Wondering where the net came from, Spider-Man turns to his right and sees that Jessica had a new weapon in her arsenal. It looked like a bazooka, but instead of a rocket, it fires nets that incapacitate criminals for sure. _Looks painful_ , Spider-Man thought.

"Cool toy," Spider-Man complimented. "Hurts more than my Electric Web, though, I can see. Might wanna be careful with that."

Jessica turns the bazooka towards Spider-Man and fires. Thanks to his Spider Sense and spider-like agility, he dodges the electric net. As soon as he landed, he saw Jessica coming towards him. She goes for a punch, but he dodges it. She kicks high, aiming for his head, but he ducks under it. He blocks her next punch and twists her arm a little so she's in the "you're under arrest" position with one arm behind her back.

"How about a thank you, Commissioner? I saved you from losing more men," said Spider-Man.

Jessica elbows Spider-Man in the stomach, getting him off her, and then spin-kicks him in the head, knocking him down. When he refused to stay down, she goes for another kick, only for him to block it. He blocks her next two kicks before spinning around her swiftly, webbing one of her hands to the road.

"Can we try not to punch each other for five seconds?" Spider-Man pleaded.

"I made it clear what would happen if you interfere with active police operations," Jessica reminded him. "You think that just because it's your special day, you get to disobey that order."

"Hey, all I wanted to do is help. And now, you have eleven... twelve... thirteen Demons all set for lockup," said Spider-Man.

"I warned you," Jessica growled. "Take him!'

All the officers remaining hesitated.

"Now!" Jessica shouted.

That's when all the police officers raised their guns and pointed them at Spider-Man. They didn't open fire, fortunately.

"Whoa, hey. Are we really gonna do this?" asked Spider-Man.

"Sorry, Spidey, but Commissioner's orders," an officer said apologetically.

"So, this is how it's gonna work, huh?" Spider-Man questioned.

"Mayor Sarkissian assigned me this job to uphold the law in any way I can. That includes not condoning vigilantism," said Jessica.

"So much for your rebel reputation in high school," Spider-Man commented.

"That was a long time ago, kid," said Jessica.

"Then I'll just get out of your hair," Spider-Man said bitterly.

Spider-Man just web-swings away. None of the officers even bothered to try and shoot him for interfering with police business. They were conflicted. They appreciate what Spidey does, but they can't go against the Commissioner's wishes.

"Can someone help me out of this?!" Jessica complained, referring to the webbing keeping her forearm glued to the road.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

At the Chinatown precinct rooftop, Jessica Drew is alone up there making a private phone call. She taps her foot repeatedly in an impatient manner as she waits for the receiver to pick up. After about forty-five seconds, her call was finally answered.

"Ophelia, we need to talk," said Jessica.

 _"Is this about how you failed to bring Spider-Man in earlier?" Ophelia guessed._

"Project: Arachnia. I want it, now," said Jessica. "Something to change the game and put me at even level with him. That electric trapper of yours didn't quite do the trick, although the department is quite impressed."

 _"The best thing we got is a sample of Spider-Man's blood," said Ophelia. "No matter how hard we analyze, we can only create a serum that is only a partial compared to his true power."_

"You want Spider-Man, right? Well, I'm your best bet, but your best bet can't take him," said Jessica. "I'm willing to take the risk, even if it means getting at least a tiny edge over him."

 _Ophelia sighs and says, "Three days."_

"Remember, Ophelia. You put me in this position," said Jessica. "I want to achieve our goals as much as you do, but I want to do things on my terms when it suits me."

 _"You're very well on your way to becoming a high-profile agent, Commissioner," Ophelia said with mild sarcasm. "You want Project: Arachnia? You'll get it."_

"Hail Hydra," Jessica said before hanging up.

* * *

Miles Morales is finally in Junior Year, just one year away from Senior Year, which means the following year is college. Time sure flies fast, doesn't it? But Miles intends on enjoying his youth as much as possible. But until adulthood, he's content with swinging the streets as Kid Arachnid and passing all of his tests in school. Right now, he's in his classroom early waiting for Math class to start. And just like him, the teacher arrives early.

"Ah, Miles. I see you're starting early."

David Obademi. He started teaching at Miles' school last year. He has since developed a bond with Miles, who wanted to get to know the Sable agent that Spider-Man helped with shipping humanitarian aid to Symkaria.

"Well, it's a slow day. Not much to do between classes today," said Miles.

"I take it Janice is still facing troubles," David guessed. "The teachers have noticed her change in behavior the past couple weeks. Is she alright?"

"She's just dealing with a family issue. Trust me. It's way more complicated than you can imagine," said Miles. "But it's better not to talk to her about it. She just needs time."

"I spoke with her mother. She sounded like her own daughter was furious with her," said David. "She refused to share the details, but I can already tell it goes beyond a simple feud."

"Trust me, Mr. Obademi. It's best to leave her alone," said Miles.

"But you do not want to," David guessed.

"She's... um... hurting really bad. I wanna be there for her, but she insisted on handling the pain herself," said Miles. "We still study together. We still hang out together. She just doesn't want to talk about her feelings."

"And everyone says you were the same after what happened to your father," said David.

"Except I lost my dad. She just... she hates her mom so much, I can't even believe. How can you hate your own parent so much you want to pretend she's not a part of your life?" Miles said.

"Knowing the truth would help make this easier, but I know better to walk into a threshold I am not welcome in," said David.

"I do wish you could talk to her, Mr. Obademi, but she won't let anyone get close to her," said Miles.

"Well, enough about Ms. Connolly for now," said Obademi. "How are you lately, Miles? I hear you still work at F.E.A.S.T."

"It's a very rewarding job, emotionally speaking," said Miles. "I think I may stick with it for... maybe forever, if I don't find something else."

"Well, there's looking forward to the future and there's living the moment. Cherish your time at F.E.A.S.T. What they do, it helps everyone," said David.

"When you help someone, you help everyone. That's what May Parker used to say," said Miles.

Miles' phone beeped as he got the latest update on Spider-Man. His recent heroics at Stark Tower have made the news, 'cause of course. Commissioner Drew's hostility towards Spider-Man also made the news, though. It only made Miles a little more worried if he ever encountered Jessica on his own.

"You are quite the fan of Spider-Man, aren't you?" David asked.

"Who isn't? Well, aside from a quarter of this city who listen to Jameson?" Miles replied.

"I never would've delivered those humanitarian supplies to Symkaria if it wasn't for him," said David. "You are right to look up to him. He may be a superhero, but he's just a good man with a heart of gold."

"A heart that attracted your old boss," Miles commented jokingly.

David chuckled.

"I think they make a good enough couple," Miles joked. "He keeps her human. She keeps him... himself, I guess."

"Yes, her feelings towards Spider-Man are quite beautiful. But considering her position as Princess of Symkaria, I doubt she would ever pursue these feelings," said David. "But judging by the public kiss, she is welcoming herself to exploring matters of the heart."

"Just thinking about this makes me worried about Janice. I don't want her to forget how to feel besides feeling angry," Miles said worriedly.

"You are the only one she trusts, Miles. If anyone can get her to open herself, it's you," said David.

* * *

Spider-Man is just sitting on top of F.E.A.S.T.'s rooftop, eating donuts, along with a cup of coffee. While he chews his food, he makes a phone call. He's trying to reach MJ, who has been missing all day. She's not at her apartment. She's not at the Bugle (Robbie said she's taking some time off). She's not at F.E.A.S.T. either. So, the best he can do now is call her... again.

"C'mon, pick up, pick up, pick up," he hoped.

 _"Uh, hey, Pete," MJ greeted._

"Oh, thank goodness. MJ, hey. Where are you? I've called you, like, five times today and you didn't answer," said Spider-Man.

 _"Just dealing with some personal stuff at the moment," said MJ. "Can't tell you. It's a secret. But trust me, I'm not at some Demon warehouse or something. If I was, Agent SP wouldn't be sitting on the couch today."_

"Yeah, I checked your apartment earlier," Spider-Man mentioned. "I was just wondering, I got us two passes to a karaoke club. I figured we could celebrate Year Nine with some music, if you're interested."

 _"Okay, I don't sing, but I'll do it for you," said MJ. "Happy anniversary, Pete."_

"Nine years. Can you believe it?" Spider-Man said, wowed by himself. "I mean, I knew I'd be doing this for a long time, but it's hard to believe I'm no longer a rookie at this job. Spider-Man is reaching the big 1-0 in twelve months."

 _"You deserve to pat yourself on the back, Pete. All you've done in the past nine years as Spider-Man is protect this city," said MJ. "I'm really proud of you."_

"You have no idea how much it means to hear that from you," said Spider-Man.

 _"I think I do have an idea," MJ laughed._

"So, can you make it tonight? Around 7 or 8?" asked Spider-Man.

 _"I'll be there," MJ promised._

"Will you at least give me a hint on what you're doing right now?" asked Spider-Man.

"Sorry, Tiger, but it's something I need to handle alone. You'll understand some day," said MJ. "See ya later, Pete."

"Yeah, see ya," said Spider-Man.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

MJ ends the call and drops her phone the same time she drops her smile. Talking to Peter, it's a guarantee for a smile on her face. But right now, she's in a situation where she has no time to smile. Sitting on a medical bed in Oscorp in a patient's gown, she waits for the results of the test she has come for. Norman Osborn had just returned to talk to her.

"That was Peter, wasn't it?" Norman asked, referring to her previous phone call.

"He's worried, and I can't tell him anything," MJ said sadly.

"Well, that's for you two to settle. I'm just glad I can do my part to help," said Norman.

"So, does this mean Dr. Michaels is working for you again?" asked MJ.

"It's the deal, Ms. Watson," said Norman.

"Mary Jane. I'm grown-up now, but you can still call me Mary Jane," said MJ.

"Sure thing," said Norman.

"Doesn't it kinda bother you? You're asking Dr. Michaels to leave behind a wonderful job at F.E.A.S.T. just to bring him back to a job that he doesn't even want anymore," MJ asked, trying to limit her tone of disgust towards the ex-mayor.

"There are things here only Dr. Michaels can do," said Norman. "But I can promise you that Devil's Breath is permanently off our list."

"So, you're just gonna need him for medicine, is that it?" MJ asked sarcastically.

"I know you and Peter don't think very highly of me, Mary Jane, but Oscorp is a company made to help others, no matter the methods," said Norman. "But I assure you, we're trying to do better."

"Maybe stick to military contracts, Mr. Osborn. It keeps Oscorp a trusted business," MJ suggested. "Genetics is too extreme even for you. You have to know that."

"Normally, I'd say you have no right to question my business, but I guess I deserve some of that criticism," Norman said modestly.

"No hard feelings, Mr. Osborn?" asked MJ, referring to her pieces against Norman.

"You're just doing your job as a reporter. I can understand," Norman said, lying as convincingly as he can.

Dr. Michaels comes back into the room with the results of the blood test. Whatever Martin Li did to her, it's clearly more than just the normal type of corruption he usually spreads to others. The worried look on Dr. Michaels' face makes it look even worse.

"Is she gonna be alright?" asked Norman.

"I wish I can sugarcoat, but to be honest, it may take longer than we thought," said Dr. Michaels. "Whatever Li did to Ms. Watson, it's double the corruption he normally distributes. Head trauma can only slow it down for long before she relapses."

"Is there a cure?" asked Norman.

"I don't know," said Dr. Michaels. "The best I can do is develop a medicine that will suppress the corruption. It won't take long to make and she only needs to take the medicine at least once every three days, unless the corruption grows worse over time."

"Thanks, Dr. Michaels," said MJ. "I know this won't be easy, but I trust you."

* * *

At nighttime, Black Cat is out doing another errand for Ophelia Sarkissian. A rogue Hydra agent stole some valuable intel that Ophelia wants back. Black Cat's orders are not only to steal the info back but to bring the rogue agent to Ophelia dead or alive. And judging by the unconscious body in a hotel room leaking blood on the floor, Black Cat chose the _dead_ option.

"I'm sorry, but you left me no choice," said Black Cat.

Just as Black Cat was about to leave the room through the window, something was thrown in through the window. To Black Cat's horror, it was a familiar-looking mini-bomb. She tried to escape, but it was too late. It detonated and the contents of the bomb started making her hallucinate. The dead corpse starts to turn into living goo. The light bulb starts flickering and making ghost noises.

"No, no, no, Felicia. This is not real," she said to herself.

"But I am," said an ominous voice in the shadows.

Black Cat keeps an eye out for any intruders. The voice, however, sounded eerily familiar. When she turned around, a glowing hi-tech whip wraps around her neck and chokes, forcing her on her knees. Looking up, she sees...

"Wraith," she said, in spite of the choking.

"I warned you of what would happen if you force my hand," said Wraith.

Black Cat knew she was referring to the dead body. Her reputation as a thief is vastly known, but she was never a killer. Sure, she'd take a life if she had to (she thought about getting rid of Hammerhead herself), but she mostly just focused on the task at hand.

"I... had... no choice. He wouldn't stop. I had to... to do something drastic," Black Cat grunted, still choking.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't execute you," Wraith dared. "But remember. Spider-Man's not here to save you."

"But I'm here."

Flying in through the window is Beetle, who tackles Wraith and holds her against the wall. This allowed Black Cat to run away with the intel she was sent here to steal. That just leaves Wraith and Beetle.

"My father sends his regards," Beetle said vengefully.

Beetle punches Wraith in the face multiple times. After the fifth punch, Wraith counters by wrapping both whips around Beetle and electrocuting her. Wraith kicks Beetle away from her. Beetle recovers quickly and gets back to punching, but Wraith dodges the steel-coated fists flying towards her. Wraith strikes Beetle in the arm, kicks her in the back of the knee, and knocks her down with a roundhouse kick to the head.

"You want revenge. But he's still alive, isn't he?" Wraith said.

"Dead or alive, you're gonna pay," Beetle growled.

"You're no criminal. You fight for justice like the heroes you worship. Why fight in your father's name?" asked Wraith.

"Because unlike you, she has a heart."

That was Kid Arachnid, who turned off his optic camouflage ability to announce his presence. He uses Impact Web to web Wraith to the wall, saving Beetle. Even with the helmet on, Kid Arachnid knows Beetle isn't happy to see him.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"You followed me? Why did you?" Beetle questioned.

"Why did you go out as Beetle without telling me?" Kid Arachnid retorted.

With the two lovers busy arguing, Wraith detonates a smoke bomb that allows her to escape. Beetle uses a function on her jetpack to blow away a wind, as if she's using her wings like fans. Wraith was no longer webbed to the wall.

"You shouldn't have come here," Beetle said with soft anger.

"I'm worried about you," said Kid Arachnid. "And now I see that you've been going behind my back just to get revenge on Wraith?"

"I won't let that monster keep frightening people," said Beetle.

"But this isn't about just her killing and terrorizing. It's about what she did to Tombstone," Kid Arachnid knew.

"And so what? I get her off the streets, it won't matter what for," said Beetle.

"I won't just let you kill her," said Kid Arachnid.

"You think I'm that angry, Miles?" Beetle questioned. "I'm not gonna kill her. But I will if she leaves me no choice. Now, stay out of my way. We're still partners, but Wraith is mine."

Beetle angrily flies out of the hotel, leaving Kid Arachnid behind to continue worrying about her. David Obademi is right. Even if she won't talk to him, Miles knows that he's the only one who can reach out to her. He just need to the find the right time and words.

* * *

Later that same evening, MJ finally meets up with Peter at the karaoke club. MJ tried to forget about the results of her blood test and just enjoy the night with her boyfriend. It's a special day for him and all he wants is a special night with her. He should at least give him that. _It feels like we're celebrating his birthday_ , she thought. Technically, she's not wrong. It is _Spider-Man_ who is turning 9 years old today, if you think about it.

"Okay, how about we just let three, maybe five singers try to impress before we get up ourselves?" Peter suggested.

"Five drunks singing their hearts out? I think I'll settle for three," said MJ.

"Hey, are you okay?" Peter asked, noticing something off about MJ.

"Sorry," MJ apologized. "That little something I was busy with, it was exhausting."

"Hey, that's why we're here. To relax," said Peter.

"I never pegged you for the singing type," said MJ.

"No, but remember that school play?" Peter asked.

"Ah, yes. When Flash Thompson was supposed to play Spider-Man in our school play, but the crew found you in your real suit backstage while Flash was busy posing as you in public," MJ remembered. "You have quite the lovely singing voice."

"Yeah, well, I figured, why not try something different this year?" Peter said. "Plus, I'd really like to hear you sing. Remember the Cinderella play in elementary?"

"I remember," MJ replied. "I was so young and I was so into acting. Sure glad I gave up that dream to be a journalist."

"Well, better exercise your vocal chords. We're about to get crazy tonight... without drinking anything crazy, that is," said Peter.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for our next performer," the DJ said through the mic. "Silver Sable!"

"What?!" Peter and MJ exclaimed simultaneously.

To Peter and MJ's shock, Silver Sable comes out from behind the curtains and sits down on the very tall stool in front of the microphone. She was wearing her favorite shining silver parka just for tonight, making her look a little more normal (let's face it, the silver hair is the only thing getting in the way of her looking completely normal). Of all the places Silver decided to go, a karaoke club was definitely not on anyone's Top 10. Heck, singing is not even on Peter's Top 20 things he wanted Silver to try out.

"Silver Sable singing? Just when you thought she wasn't strange enough already," MJ commented.

"For the record, I never recommended this to her," said Peter.

"But you did get her so interested in music," MJ reminded.

"Yeah, my bad," Peter admitted.

Silver signals the DJ to play the music. The tune didn't sound like anything anyone has ever heard before. It sounded like it was a piano recording, but no one recognizes the tune. Either Silver is singing a very unpopular song or she probably recorded this herself.

 **Silver**

 _When the night comes out_  
 _And you're standing right there_  
 _Waiting for the one_  
 _To pull you anywhere_

 _When the moon shines bright  
And the stars glow like the sun  
I'll be waiting for you  
And become the one_

 _I can't express what I feel  
Because I don't know what it is  
I hold on, but I don't know  
If you can make me glow  
I see nothing but dark and snow  
But the air smells like a rose  
The scent that fuels what's inside  
I'm too weak to stop its might_

Everyone in the club is at awe at what they're hearing. Silver Sable is a fierce, no-nonsense mercenary whose best friends are two pistols she keeps holstered on her hips. That Symkarian accent escapes her mouth with words that sting like venom. Who would've expected that deep down that tough and rough exterior is a beautiful voice? Peter and MJ can't even make any type of comment as their mouths were busy being open due to the feeling of awe caused by Silver's singing.

 **Silver**

 _I trudge through the snow  
Just to see where I'll go  
Is there a light at the end of the dark?  
Something that seems like a spark?  
_

 _I don't know where this path will take me  
But I hope you're there to see  
What I have to offer you  
I do what I must to see it through_

 _I can't express what I feel  
Because I don't know what it is  
I hold on, but I don't know  
If you can make me glow  
I see nothing but dark and snow  
But the air smells like a rose  
The scent that fuels what's inside  
I'm too weak to stop its might_

 _When I feel weak, you hold me up  
When I'm blue, you make me smile  
Despite the distance  
A hundred thousand miles_

 _I can't express what I feel  
Because I don't know what it is  
But with you, I do know  
I feel right just being with you_

 _No matter what I say or do  
I will be there for you_

The entire bar gives Silver a round of applause. A very loud round of applause. Peter and MJ clapped as well, amazed by Silver's talent. For once, Peter Parker has no words. No side comment or sarcastic one-liner. Just a smile and an applause to express how he feels to hear Silver Sable sing. Yet, he wonders, _is that song for Spider-Man?_

Silver sees Peter and MJ in the crowd. She secretly eyes the web-slinger and winks. _He has no idea of what is coming_ , she thought.

 **Well, I thought I'd plant a few seeds here for what to expect. Janice wants revenge on Wraith. Miles can't control his girlfriend's anger. Black Cat is being pushed by Ophelia to get extreme. MJ's cure will have to wait a lot longer. Silver's song is a message of what she's hiding from Spider-Man. Boy, a lot to fit into one chapter, huh?**

 **So, what do you think?**

 **Notes:**

 **\- The "school play where Flash Thompson plays Spider-Man" is a reference to the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon episode with that same plot. Well, I needed a reason for Peter to suddenly have an interest in singing.**

 **\- Mary Jane Watson playing Cinderella in a play at elementary school? Where have you heard that before? If you've seen Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies, you must've caught the reference.**


	35. A Cliche Conundrum

**Time for a Halloween special, even if Halloween is six months from now.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: Vanitas50 or Shadow25, Bismarck Alexander, roxasduelwielder, Alf768, Spideysquad, Artemis Fowl IX, josephguy217**

 ** _To Vanitas50 or Shadow25_: What Li did to MJ is definitely not accidental.**

 ** _To Bismarck Alexander_: Felicia is being forced to work for HYDRA.**

 ** _To Alf768_: It does sound like it's leading up to an all-out war, doesn't it?**

 ** _To Artemis Fowl IX_: Yup, about time someone tells Jameson what the pigeon thing was really about. Who better than the owner Howard himself? Well don't be surprised if David finds out Miles is Kid Arachnid. Janice knew it was him because of his voice.**

 ** _To CG_: Most likely Venom.**

 ** _To Knox_: Well, that's the mystery, isn't it? Is this child Spidey's or not? What does Zemo have to do with it?**

 ** _To tbone_: It can only get worse for Janice. Desire for revenge plus animosity towards her mother equals nothing good.**

In a secret underground laboratory underneath one of Manhattan's fancy restaurants, Commissioner Jessica Drew is preparing to undergo a procedure that will change her life forever. Mayor Ophelia Sarkissian is there to oversee the progress. Jessica has wanted this for a long time and she's not going to let anything get in the way of her getting it. She knows the risks, but she's willing to go through it if there's a chance she'll survive.

"Is it ready?" Ophelia asked the HYDRA scientists.

"One sample of Spider-Man's blood, converted into our latest super serum," said Dr. Black. "Felicia Hardy did us a huge favor. But did we have to hide that sample in the museum?"

"Clean-up got messy. We had to think fast," said Ophelia. "Fortunately, no one would ever suspect the Black Cat to be looking for something inside a stolen vase."

"Working for her is a huge gamble, but her father's fate will ensure her loyalty," said Dr. Black.

"Any guarantees Drew will survive?" asked Ophelia.

"No," Dr. Black said bluntly. "But she's expendable, aren't they all?"

"Drew's special. I'd rather keep her around much longer," said Ophelia.

"She asked for this," Dr. Black reminded. "Best not to disappoint her if we want to keep her on our side of the war."

"The war has not started yet, but it will soon," said Ophelia.

"If I may ask, why New York?" asked Dr. Black. "Surely, this Spider-Man isn't our best chance."

"No, but HYDRA needs to mark as much territory as they can," said Ophelia. "With the Avengers occupied with the rest of us off-country, we can continue our operations here with only that bug to interfere. He's not to be underestimated, but he has no idea what's to come."

A scientist opens up a pod, revealing a metal bed inside. Jessica lies down as Dr. Black straps her in for her safety. She breathes in and out as the pod is raised to a standing position. A part of her feels nervous, but she asked for this. Spider-Man has eluded her and embarrassed her, especially in front of New York's finest. What she's putting herself through, it will give her the advantage. Before the procedure can begin, Ophelia approaches the police commissioner for a few words.

Jessica was not in the mood for another lecture, but she wanted to get the job done in the best way possible.

"Remember, Jessica. You wished for this," Ophelia reminded.

"Just get it over it," said Jessica.

"Skilled and determined, but brash," Ophelia criticized. "You are almost the perfect soldier for HYDRA."

"With the serum, I will be closer to perfection," said Jessica. "Once I get Spider-Man, then you can upgrade me to perfection."

" _If_ you get him," Ophelia emphasized.

"Is my suit ready?" asked Jessica.

"Tailored and ready for use, once you survive," said Ophelia.

Dr. Black not-so-gently inserts a needle through Jessica's shoulder. She then closes the pod and attaches the serum vial to the tube connected to the needle. After being injected with the spider serum, Jessica slowly starts to feel more and more pain into her body. It didn't take long until she started screaming, which can be heard outside of the pod. Ophelia asks Dr. Black to turn on the "electrifying" part of the process, which only hurts Jessica even more.

* * *

 _ **A few days later...**_

"HAPPY HALLOWEEN, NEW YORK CITY!"

Spider-Man shouted as he swung through the streets of New York. It's Halloween, the day where people dress up as their favorite superheroes, supervillains, or monsters and ring on other people's doorbells for candy. For the past couple weeks, the city has been decorated with pumpkins, bats, spiders, and spider webs for this spooky holiday. And now, it's time to truly celebrate the spooky holiday.

"Wish I can drop by ESU just like last year, just to see all the cool costumes," Spider-Man said to himself. "Although, considering how that turned out last time, maybe it's better I don't. At least Miles gets to have his own party."

Speaking of Miles, he's calling Spider-Man right now.

"What's up, Miles?" Spider-Man answered.

 _"Peter, I was just calling to ask if I can wear my suit to the school's Halloween party tonight," said Miles._

"Just don't show off and people won't know you're the real deal," said Spider-Man. "How about Janice? Is she going as Beetle?"

 _"She's not going to the party," Miles said sadly._

"Oh," Spider-Man reacted.

 _"But Anya didn't want me to spend Halloween at home, so she insisted I go without her," said Miles. "And I decided that I will go."_

"You should. Treasure every moment, Miles. It's worth it, even if it hurts in some way," said Spider-Man.

 _"Maybe you can keep an eye on her tonight, make sure she's not hunting for Wraith," said Miles._

"But I have horror movie night with MJ," said Spider-Man. "And Wraith has a name, Miles."

 _Miles sighs with pity and says, "Yeah, I know. I'm really sorry, Peter."_

"Just talk her into staying at home, at least," said Spider-Man. "We don't need her causing chaos on Halloween. Trigger-happy muggers are trouble enough."

 _"Hey, Peter. One more thing," said Miles. "Kamala's documentary. Is she still going through with it?"_

"Afraid so," said Spider-Man. "But I do believe it has merits. Not for myself, but for others."

 _"So, by telling people more about yourself without revealing your identity, you're boosting everyone's faith?" Miles asked._

"Not how I would word it, but in a way, yeah," said Spider-Man. "I can't protect this city alone, Miles. I mean, I have you, MJ, Sable, and maybe you can count Felicia. But I need all the good people here to stand strong. One person can make a difference. Imagine an entire city united not just because of me but because of each other."

 _"Might as well walk that army to the Just The Facts studios. No way Jameson can fight that," Miles joked._

"Tempting, but I prefer not to give him another reason to hate me," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man goes back to patrolling the streets. It's been quiet so far. Maybe the crooks decided to take the Halloween off, he thought. Suddenly, his RFID scanner malfunctions for a few seconds. The interference was coming from the crime tower at the Chinatown precinct. He swings his way there, hoping nothing is wrong. When he showed up there, there were already a few officers investigating the tower. Fortunately, no Commissioner Drew there to beat him up. Unfortunately, purple streamers were wrapped around the tower.

"Spider-Man," Officer Harrison greeted. "You're here about the tower, right?"

"I'm surprised the new commish hasn't locked me out of the system," Spider-Man commented.

"Oh, she's trying," said Harrison. "We don't know what's causing the malfunction, but we did find all this purple stuff."

"Wraith's M.O.," Spider-Man recognized. "She's trying to get my attention."

"There's something written on the streamers," said Harrison.

Spider-Man takes a look at the written letters on the purple streamer. They spell...

"Chameleon," Spider-Man read. "He's broken out."

"We'll keep an eye out for impostor Spider-Men just in case," said Harrison.

"It's Halloween. There're gonna be a lot of impostors tonight," said Spider-Man.

"But wait, why would Wraith tell you about Chameleon?" An officer asked. "Are you two working together now?"

"Or more likely, she thinks she could use the help, even if we're not technically teaming up," said Spider-Man. "Good thing no one's crazy enough to dress up as Wraith for Halloween. Otherwise, she would blend in and not have to contact me at all."

"Let's hope Chameleon doesn't crash a Halloween party. Don't want you getting mixed up in another one," said Harrison.

* * *

Meanwhile, at F.E.A.S.T., MJ is covering for Miles, who is talking to Janice about her Beetle situation. MJ constantly wishes she wasn't here, all because she was still dealing with a certain issue involving Li's corruption. Black and white energy keep surging through her veins, threatening to come out and consume her. She fights back, but barely. Without this medicine promised by Dr. Michaels, all she has to fight back the corruption is her will.

"Ms. Watson," a familiar voice called.

MJ stops chopping vegetables and turns around to see Dr. Morgan Michaels. He was holding a small cardboard box.

"Oh, Dr. Michaels. I didn't expect to see you here," said MJ.

"I needed to speak with you in person," said Dr. Michaels.

Dr. Michaels gives MJ the small box.

"It's the medicine," said Dr. Michaels. "Remember. Once every three days."

"It's that dangerous, is it?" MJ asked worriedly.

"Taking it once every day, or more than once a day, would result in behavioral disorders that theoretically might strengthen the corruption in you," said Dr. Michaels. "It's best to be careful, even if your desperation becomes too strong."

"I'll try to be strong," MJ promised.

"Take care, Ms. Watson. I must return to Oscorp," said Dr. Michaels.

"Won't you miss this place?" asked MJ.

"I will, but I made a promise, to Norman and you," said Dr. Michaels.

"I hate that I got you involved in this," said MJ.

"Don't be. You clearly needed help. As a former doctor, it's my job to provide that," said Dr. Michaels. "Just call me if you need more of the medicine."

Dr. Michaels leaves the shelter. MJ opens the box and looks inside. She sees 5-milliliter bottles filled with what appears to be the medicine. She had to close the box before anyone could come in and see. She made a mental note to drink one bottle once she gets back home.

Just as she gets back to cutting the vegetables, she gets a call from Peter.

MJ calmed herself before answering. She always felt the urge to tell him the truth, but she couldn't. Not yet. Why? She tells herself it's to spare him from her own troubles.

"Hey, Pete," she greeted him cheerfully.

 _"Hey, MJ," Peter greeted. "Hey, I'm sorry to tell you this, but horror movie night may have to be delayed. Chameleon broke out Ryker's and Halloween gives him the opportunity to impersonate me again. I don't know how long it's gonna take until I find him."_

"Oh, okay," MJ understood.

 _"Sorry," Peter apologized._

"No, I understand," said MJ. "But you will make it up to me, right?"

 _"We'll stay up all night if we have to," said Peter. "Just be sure to stay away from anyone in a Spider-Man costume, unless it's a lady. Chameleon's not crazy enough to dress up as a woman, is he?"_

MJ chuckled and said, "See you tonight, Pete."

* * *

It's almost 6 o'clock evening. Rio Morales drives her son Miles (dressed as Kid Arachnid) to Midtown High for the school's Halloween party. Surprisingly, Janice Lincoln is there as well. She was dressed as Beetle (minus the helmet and wings, which she left in her apartment). She sat in the car with a sour look on her face, which is why Miles kept quiet throughout the ride. It felt awkward for Rio, knowing that there is something wrong between her son and his girlfriend.

"So, Miles, where again did you say you bought that costume?" Rio asked casually.

"Would you believe I made it myself?" Miles replied.

"If so, I'm proud," said Rio. "Be careful no one mistakes you for the real Kid Arachnid."

"Hey, I'm too short and skinny to be Kid Arachnid," said Miles.

"Short, yes. Skinny, we both know that's not true. You did try out for the basketball team," said Rio.

"Yeah, well, I'm never doing that again, not after last year's tryout," said Miles.

Rio wanted to ask Janice something, but she decided it was best to let her son handle the problem at the party. As soon as they arrived at the school, Miles and Janice head inside together. They didn't hold hands, however. They just walked alongside each other. They went to the gym, where the Halloween party is taking place. They were fashionably late, seeing as 95% of the school was already there. _At least we're not the last ones_ , they both thought.

"So, should we, uh, let's have fun, what do you say?" Miles started awkwardly.

"Whatever," Janice dismissed him.

"Hey, I thought you agreed to come," said Miles.

"Didn't say I wanted to talk," said Janice. "Which is what you really want to do, Miles."

"Can we not do this? Not here, please," Miles pleaded.

"Hey, look over there! It's Morales!"

That was Bobby, who was accompanied by his fellow bully Tanner. Bobby is dressed as Taskmaster (a chubby one, everyone thought). Tanner is dressed as Scorpion, fake tail and all. They approached Miles with ill intent.

"Hey, guys. You look... slick... uh, Bobby," Miles said, trying not to sound insulting.

"Look here who thinks he's Kid Spider," Bobby said insultingly.

"Kid Arachnid," Tanner corrected.

"Whatever," Bobby replied.

"Let's not do this, Bobby," said Miles.

"And who's your girlfriend supposed to be? Beetle?" Bobby insulted. "Where's the helmet? Where're your wings? Did someone clip them?"

"Move, Bobby," Janice insisted, fists shaking.

"Ooh, what are you gonna do if I don't? Kick my ass?" Bobby said insultingly. "Why don't you and your boyfriend sit in the loser corner, girlie?"

This insult forced Janice to thrust her fist towards Bobby's face, very hard, alarming everyone. Bobby gets back up and attacks, only for Janice to punch him in the face again, knocking him down to the ground. Janice glared at Tanner and threatened to punch him. All she had to do is raise her fist and take a step forward for Tanner to stand back in fear. Everyone's eyes were on them. This only made Janice leave the gym. Miles followed her.

"Janice, wait!" Miles called.

"I never should've come," Janice said.

Miles gets in front of Janice and says, "Wait, please. I know you're upset, but we're supposed to have fun tonight."

"Those two idiots are lucky I didn't bring the rest of my gear," Janice growled.

"C'mon, Janice. What is wrong with you?" asked Miles. "You're angry about your dad. You're angry at your mom. But you shouldn't be like this. Let me help you. I can..."

"Miles," Janice interrupted. "How can you possibly help when you don't know how I feel? My criminal dad cares about me, but he's in a coma. My mom lied to be for my whole life and she expects me to just forgive her. There's that maniac Wraith still hurting people, guilty or innocent. How do you think I feel?"

Miles was astonished and worried by Janice's anger. To see this side of her, it's scary.

"I may not know how you feel," said Miles. "But I have a friend who's dealt with worse and he helped himself by asking help from his friends. Don't push me away, Jan, please. I don't know what we are, but I care about you. A lot. I don't want to see you end up like Wraith."

Janice was silent for a moment. Miles truly cares, but she can't let it go, no matter how hard she tried.

"We're done," said Janice.

"What?" asked Miles.

"We're through, Miles," said Janice. "Until I bring Wraith to justice, I don't want to talk. End of discussion."

Janice not-so-gently shoves Miles to the side as she walks her way out of the school. Miles can only wonder why she's so angry. He can understand that her father's coma and her mother's secrecy are justifiable causes for anger, but the anger he's seeing is more than that. Janice is such a nice girl. Or has she been hiding some dark side in her that has just gotten out because of everything that has happened to her recently?

* * *

Spider-Man swings towards Empire State University. He just got a call from Silver Sable, telling him that she spotted a man in a near-perfect copy of his white spider suit heading towards the university, believing he must be Dmitri Smerdyakov, a.k.a. Chameleon. Spider-Man had to investigate, as he trusted Silver's eyes. She really pays good attention to detail, he thought.

"Okay, Sable. I'm here at ESU," Spider-Man reported, via comm-link. "But there are bound to be more than just one cosplayer sporting the white spider tonight. I'd be lucky if there are only 2 or 3."

 _"Do not worry. I will join you shortly," said Silver._

"As soon as he sees you, he'll start killing innocent college students," said Spider-Man.

 _"He will not see me, and neither will you," said Silver._

Silver hangs up, leaving Spider-Man on his own. He couldn't just hang around across the university and wait for Silver. He had to get in now. He casually walks in, blending in with the crowd. Fortunately and unfortunately for him, he sees that there are several people who are wearing white spiders on their chests. That's good because no one will suspect him as the real Spider-Man. It's bad because now finding Chameleon will be a whole lot harder.

"Deja vu," Spider-Man commented. "At least it's not Demons crashing this party this time. Please don't let there be Demons."

Aside from Spider-Man cosplayers, Spider-Man can see students dressed as either his rogues' gallery of supervillains or Avengers or the Fantastic Four. It makes him wonder why it was an all-Spider-Man theme last year.

"C'mon, Sable. Where are you?" He wondered quietly.

Spider-Man keeps an eye on anyone wearing a white spider. So far, nothing suspicious. Just a bunch of drinking, dancing, and chatting. And then there's the shirtless guy in the Spider-Man mask, busting moves that he should probably be ashamed of.

"When will that guy graduate?" Spider-Man wondered.

Spider-Man keeps walking around, acting casual. And then he bumped into someone while he was looking at the brand new hall of mirrors. This someone is wearing a long platinum wig, a white long-sleeved top, white tights, calf-high boots, and a silver mask with a skull design on it.

"Oh, sorry," Spider-Man apologized to the stranger.

The stranger removes her mask halfway. She winks and smiles at him.

"Sable?" Spider-Man recognized her. "Who are you supposed to be? You look like..."

"My comic book counterpart?" Silver finished. "A child dropped his comic book yesterday. I happened to be passing by and I caught a glimpse of the cover."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I wasn't a fan of your design," said Spider-Man. "The hair looks nice, though. But I'm guessing long hair will just get in the way."

"I found Smerdyakov," said Silver. "He's on the dance floor. He plans to set it ablaze."

"How do I tell which Spidey is who?" asked Spider-Man.

"Your mask has a scanner, correct? Scan for a suit with insulation," said Silver.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Spider-Man scolded himself.

"Stay in contact," said Silver.

"Hey, thanks for helping me," said Spider-Man. "This team-up thing between us, really getting used to it."

Silver shoots one more friendly smirk at her friend before putting her mask back on. She disappears into the crowd. Even Spider-Man couldn't see where she is now. _She's probably invisible_ , he thought.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man steps on the dance floor, keeping his eyes open and his scanner active. There are only five Spider-Men on the dance floor wearing white spider symbols on their chests. First one he scanned, not Chameleon. The second one, not him either. The third one, not him. Fourth one, still nope. The fifth one...

"Found you," Spider-Man cheered quietly. He taps into his comm-link and says, "Sable, northeast of the stage. Where are you?"

 _"One second," Silver said vaguely. "Wait, someone else is coming! To your right!"_

Spider-Man's Spider Sense goes off immediately. To his right, he sees a familiar purple-suited individual. It was no cosplayer. It was...

"Yuri," he muttered with shock.

Wraith calmly walks through the dance floor, dodging dancing college students, and straight towards the near-perfect Spider-Man copycat. Spider-Man tries to get to her, but all the students boogieing like crazy were getting in his way. He even ran into the back of the very Rhino cosplayer he fought last year. Good thing he rolled out of the way before that Rhino cosplayer turned around. He didn't want to tangle with him again.

Chameleon slips an explosive without anyone noticing. He was just about to blow it up with a detonator.

"Happy Halloween," he said deviously.

Unexpectedly, a glowing whip captures his arm, causing him to drop the detonator. He turns around, only for a second whip to hit him in the face. One person in the crowd noticed and brought everyone's attention to it. A fight's coming, they know it. However, they only think Yuri is some Wraith cosplayer, not the real thing.

"Your choice, Dmitri! Ryker's or a body bag," Wraith threatened viciously.

"Ah, so you're the infamous Wraith," said Chameleon, talking in a voice that sounds almost exactly like the real Spider-Man.

"You sure sound like him. But you're not him," said Wraith.

Chameleon was about to take out his gun, which he kept hidden, but as soon as he get a hold of it, a sniper's shot knocked it out of his hand. Wraith, despite wondering where the shot came from, continued fighting the impostor. She kicks him in the face twice, knees him in the stomach, and trips him by wrangling his leg with her whip.

"This is not going well," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man had no choice but to be impolite. He shoves a few people out of his way - all the while saying "excuse me" - and runs towards Wraith. Wraith had her boot on Chameleon's neck, stomping down hard in an attempt to break it. Spider-Man tackles Wraith and pushes her away from Chameleon.

"Let me guess. You're the real one," Wraith guessed.

"Yeah, I'm the real me," Spider-Man confirmed. "And you're not gonna kill him."

"He was going to kill everyone in this party. He took lives to frame you in the past," said Wraith.

"Yeah, that was one hell of a PR clean-up," Spider-Man remembered.

Chameleon once killed a few criminals and some innocents dressed as Spider-Man to frame him. It worked, until Spider-Man captured him and unmasked him. Everyone but Jameson then believed he was innocent.

"But I'll take him back to Ryker's. No need for this to get violent," said Spider-Man.

"We both know these kind of situations always result in violence," said Wraith. "That's the problem with criminals."

"Don't do this, please," Spider-Man pleaded.

Suddenly, Spider-Man feels his Spider Sense go off. Unfortunately, he couldn't dodge the bullet that hit him in the leg. Turning around, Wraith sees who took the shot. It was some cosplayer, only this cosplayer dressed as someone no one has ever seen before.

Dark red body suit with a gold spider symbol formed in the shape of triangles. Her boots are yellowish gold as well. Her mask conceals her face. Her mouth is covered by a ninja-like balaclava that appears hi-tech. The wavy brown hair doesn't exactly help identify her.

"Who are you?" asked Wraith.

"Justice," the new vigilante answered coldly, with a modulated voice.

The newbie shoots at Wraith, but she dashes quickly to dodge the bullets. While Wraith fights the newbie, Chameleon attacks Spider-Man. Spider-Man blocks Chameleon's first punch and uses his uninjured leg to kick him in the stomach. Getting up in spite of the injured leg, Spider-Man punches Chameleon in the face three times before kicking him down with the leg that was shot.

"Ow!" Spider-Man cried.

Using a carefully aimed web-shot, he pulls the bullet out of the wound, hurting himself badly. He screams in pain. Everyone cringes. It hurts to see Spider-Man in pain. Spider-Man coats his wound with his webbing. Chameleon pounces at him, but Spider-Man ducks.

"Love the suit, but a gun? That's low. Thought you'd learn by now," said Spider-Man.

"Like I need lesson from Red, Blue, and Doesn't Know When To Shut Up," Chameleon insulted.

Chameleon tries some high kicks, but Spider-Man was too quick, injured leg and all. He punches Chameleon in the stomach and face, but Chameleon head-butts him.

"Ow. Hey, cheat shot," Spider-Man said.

"Stop!"

Everyone stopped when someone dressed completely in white and silver showed up. She removes her mask and wig, revealing herself as Silver Sable. The students and teachers at the party gasped. Chameleon quickly uses fake webbing to cover his leg before Silver could get through the crowd.

"What are you waiting for, Sable?! Shoot him!" Chameleon shouted, sounding just like Spider-Man.

"Don't listen to him. He's the impostor," said Spider-Man.

"That's exactly what an impostor would say," said Chameleon.

"You know this is cliche, right?" Spider-Man said.

"Silence!" Silver interrupted.

"Ah, c'mon, baby," Chameleon flirted. "It's me. Spidey. Remember our smooch that went viral? We got the spark between us, you know that."

Silver suddenly points both pistols at Spider-Man. When Chameleon started celebrating, Silver smirked and winked at the web-slinger. She quickly aims the gun at the impostor and pulls the trigger, hitting him in the exact spot on the leg where the fake web is. Silver then takes off Chameleon's mask and kicks him in the face.

"One thing you never learned about the real Spider-Man. He does not make brash advances towards me," said Silver.

"Aw, you know me so well," Spider-Man said, touched.

Meanwhile, Wraith and the newbie are still fighting each other. The newbie is quickly proving herself to be a very skilled fight. She blocks Wraith's kicks with ease and throws her own kicks with swiftness. After blocking Wraith's punch, the newbie elbows the purple-suited vigilante in the face, karate-chops her on the neck, and then knocks her down with a powerful roundhouse kick.

"So, who are you?" asked Spider-Man. "Spider-Woman or something?"

"Something like that," Spider-Woman replied.

"You shot me!" Spider-Man whined.

"And I can do worse," said Spider-Woman.

Spider-Woman knocks Spider-Man down with a flying spin kick. Before she could hurt the wall crawler again, Silver jumps in and kicks Spider-Woman. Spider-Woman super-jumps up high, much to the shock of everyone, and throws two knives at Silver. Silver tumbles left, but one knife manages to scratch her leg. When Silver grunted in pain, Spider-Woman knees her in the face.

"Hey!" Spider-Man called. "Don't hurt my friends."

"Friend? Well, didn't a princess could get friend-zoned," Spider-Woman joked.

"You got jokes, huh? That's funny," Spider-Man replied.

Spider-Man tries to fight Spider-Woman, but his injured leg isn't helping. Spider-Woman even kicks him in that very leg to weaken him. She kicks him in the chest, elbows him on the head, and strikes him in the back with a spinning back kick. When Spidey tried to get up, Spider-Woman hits him in the face with a jumping two-footed kick.

"Ow," Spider-Man grunted.

Spider-Man fires a web shot, but Spider-Woman dodges it with style. He fires another shot, and she jumps out of the way. He fires two shots, and she just shows off as if dodging them was nothing.

"I match your strength and agility, but I surpass you in skill," Spider-Woman boasted.

Spider-Woman kicks Spider-Man again.

"Hey, leave Spidey alone!" One Spidey cosplayer shouted.

"No, don't! Get out of here!" Spider-Man said to the crowd.

While everyone gets off the dance floor, Spider-Man fires Electric Web at the newcomer. He then fires multiple web shots at her, coating her in the web. Spider-Woman breaks out, but the shock from the Electric Web still surged through her veins. It didn't hurt much. It felt as if she was channeling its power. She then "throws" the electricity back at Spider-Man, shocking him and knocking him down.

Spider-Woman sensed something coming from her left. It was Silver. She shoots Spider-Woman in the leg, hurting her. She then fires two shots at her left arm. Silver finishes with a butterfly kick to the face.

"Now!" Silver said to her red-suited friend.

Spider-Man fires a Trip Mine at Spider-Woman, gluing her to the nearest wall. This gives both him and Silver the opportunity to interrogate/question the newbie.

"Who are you?" Spider-Man asked curiously.

"Not today, Spider-Man," said Spider-Woman.

Spider-Woman detonates a smoke bomb, allowing her disappear without a trace. Much to Spider-Man and Silver Sable's disappointment, Wraith escaped while they were busy with Spider-Woman. Chameleon, however, was still unconscious.

"At least we got Chameleon," Spider-Man said positively.

"But now we have a new vigilante, one who seems to be targeting you," said Silver.

"Sarkissian. It's gotta be her," Spider-Man guessed. "Well, it's either her or her hired assassin."

"No proof, so we can't spread this theory," said Silver.

"Let's just get Dmitri here to Commissioner Drew. I got movie night to attend to," said Spider-Man. "What about you? Any plans to celebrate Halloween?"

Silver just walked away. Unbeknownst to him, she has been eating candy all evening. She just popped a cherry-flavored piece of candy in her mouth once she was out of his sight. Yet another one of her cravings. It disturbs her that she cannot control her cravings, but she can try to tolerate it since it's part of her pregnancy. She just keeps reminding herself to brush her teeth before bed.

* * *

Peter makes his way to MJ's apartment for horror movie night. This is how they plan to spend their Halloween together. Just huddled together on the couch in the dark, watching a movie about a scary clown. It's terrifying and haunting, but it fits with the holiday. But before Peter showed up, MJ had to secretly take the medicine given to her by Dr. Michaels.

"You can do this, MJ," MJ said to herself.

She drinks every drop of the first bottle. After she swallowed, she could feel the corruption weaken a little. That doesn't mean it's going way forever, unfortunately. Then she heard someone knock on the door, prompting her to hide the rest of the bottles in her closet. She answers the door and sees Peter.

"Ready for movie night?" Peter asked eagerly.

"Ready as I'll ever be," MJ said, trying to hide her nervousness.

As they got comfy on the couch, they listened to Jameson's latest episode. No doubt it's about the ruckus at ESU's Halloween party.

 _"Once again, folks, Empire State University's party has been crashed by none other than the hero that everyone seems to have so much fun dressing up as, Spider-Man," Jameson started. "Last year, his scuffle with the Demons led to the death of Dr. Isaac Delaney and the corruption of several innocent students. This year, he and a certain Symkarian mercenary endangered lives in a reckless slap flight with the Chameleon, who once against has disguised himself as Spider-Man. Although, I must admit, his talent is mimicry is quite impressive. But that's no excuse to try and blow up a dance floor just to ruin young people's fun time. Sure, Spider-Man and Silver Sable saved the day, but not without endangering lives. Oh, and guess who else was there? No, not just that purple-clad lunatic, The Wraith. I'm talking about the brand new Spider-Man copycat. Spider-Woman, I believe she is being called. No one could tell for sure if she's a hero wannabe or a anarchist. On the one hand, she fought The Wraith. On the other, she shot Spider-Man. Commissioner Drew went on record expressing the NYPD's prioritization of capturing this she-spider. That's good, right? BUT WHAT ABOUT ISSUING AN ARREST WARRANT FOR SPIDER-MAN?!"_

Of course that's how Jameson ends his podcast, most everyone in New York thought.

"So, a Spider-Woman, huh?" MJ started. "About time, actually."

"She tried to kill me," said Peter.

"I know," said MJ. "What do you think she wants?"

"If she's working for Sarkissian, then she must want to either kill or capture me," Peter guessed. "But enough about her. I'll deal with her next time. Right now, let's just enjoy the movie."

MJ repositioned herself on the couch and put Peter's arm around herself. With what she's fighting inside her, she needs Peter's presence to calm her. Dr. Michaels' medicine can only help her so much. A smile on her face appears as she leans on Peter's shoulder. Peter is kinda confused why she's behaving strangely, but he guessed she's probably just scared of the movie or she just wanted to hold him. Either way, he has happy to be with her.

"By the way, Miles won Best Costume at his party," MJ informed casually.

"Well, he is wearing the real deal Kid Arachnid suit," said Peter.

"You won Best Costume with the real deal Spidey suit, remember?" MJ reminded.

"Yeah, that was a pretty fun day," said Peter.

"Flash was really angry," MJ remembered.

"Well, good thing he and I are friends now. Past grudges are just that. The past," said Peter.

* * *

Ophelia Sarkissian, as usual, is in her office at City Hall, waiting. The waiting comes to an end when her 9 o'clock arrived. Coming in through the door is Felicia Hardy, _not_ dressed in her Black Cat but in civilian clothing. She had to in order to pay a visit to the mayor. The thief gives Ophelia a flash drive. Ophelia plugs it into her laptop and sees that it contains the info she needed. Plans for a prototype battle suit and steps to a convoluted suiting-up process.

"Oscorp's Project Olympus knockoff," Ophelia commented.

"As promised," Felicia growled under her breath.

"You sound vexed, Hardy," Ophelia noticed.

"I know it was you who let Chameleon out of Ryker's," said Felicia. "It was the perfect distraction to keep Spider-Man off my back. No coincidence you chose to use his escape as my opportunity."

"Smart one, aren't you?" Ophelia replied.

"And what of this Spider-Woman?" asked Felicia. "Is she one of yours?"

"You've done your job, Hardy. You are done for the night," said Ophelia.

"Think you'd level with me next time your plans involve the Spider," Felicia said threateningly.

"Our contract never involved him," said Ophelia. "HYDRA has no interest in your petty affairs."

Felicia resists the urge to punch Ophelia and leaves City Hall. After the cat-themed burglar left, Ophelia makes a phone call to a certain police commissioner, wishing to speak to her about the fight at ESU. But Jessica called her first.

"Called to justify for failure, Jessica?" Ophelia asked.

 _"I was outnumbered," Jessica explained. "If it was just me and Spider-Man, I could've taken him."_

"But the serum works, doesn't it?" asked Ophelia.

 _"Like a charm," said Jessica. "Still, there is something you did not account for."_

"I saw the video. You redirected the electric energy from his webbing back at him. Impressive," said Ophelia. "But unexpected, for sure."

 _"So, you're saying you have no idea what happened to me?" asked Jessica._

"It could be that the electrical phase of your transformation affected your bio-electric makeup," Ophelia theorized. "You must return to the lab for more tests."

 _"Sure," Jessica obeyed. "But next time, I fight him myself, not with one of your distractions. Allowing supervillains to escape will not help with my reputation as commissioner. The job may be a means to an end, but I'd like to keep it until HYDRA is finished with New York."_

"Watch your tone, Jessica," Ophelia warned.

 _Jessica sighs and says, "Yes, mother. Hail HYDRA."_

After the call, Ophelia can only sit down on her desk and worry about Jessica. She's talented and full of determination, but she can be careless and reckless when her hubris dominates her.

 **Yup, you read it right. Ophelia Sarkissian/Madame Hydra is the "mother" of Jessica Drew. Now, I know what you're probably thinking. Ophelia is 40 years old. Jessica is 37. How can Ophelia be Jessica's mother if there's only a 3-year age difference? Well, I leave that to you to find out.**

 **Notes:**

 **\- Silver Sable's Halloween costume is her classic costume from the comics (longer hair and all), in case you need a picture in your head. I prefer her PS4 costume, but I thought it would be a fun nod. As for the silver skull mask, well, that was simply to keep her from being recognized.**

 **\- I hope you don't mind my direction with Jessica Drew's character. I'm not very exposed to her character, so I can only do as much as I can with how little I know about her. Her involvement with HYDRA being one of them.**


	36. A True Marvel

**There's gonna be no plot progression in this chapter, because I wanted to introduce someone special. Special guest appearance, you could say. Enjoy.**

 **Please leave a review after reading. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: rex1297, JackTom, CG, Spideysquad**

 ** _To CG_: Yes, I just saw Endgame. And yeah, the time travel there is crazier and so unlike other time travel movies. I'm just gonna wait until Far From Home to show how Peter feels (there are some things I'd rather not waste time guessing). MCU Peter seems more like he's heading for the scientist route.**

 ** _To SHAZAM_: Why did I do what? Please be specific.**

 ** _To tbone_: I'm sorry, but there's always gonna be some drama.**

 ** _To Knox_: I do remember. The questions in my reply to you in the previous chapter, I was being rhetorical. I already have an answer (I wanted to be sure I had one before writing about Silver's pregnancy). Again, the questions were just a simply summary surrounding the mystery of Silver's baby. I wanted to clarify that while Zemo does have something to do with Silver's pregnancy, Spidey is still somehow involved in all this. I'm sorry if my reply was unclear.**

 ** _To Guest (asking about Gwen Stacy)_: I've been thinking about whether or not I should include Gwen, but I don't think I can do it. But if she does exist in this story, she's still alive.**

 ** _To Guest (talking about Avengers: Endgame)_: I honestly have no response to that, only because I never really paid attention to who was confirmed snapped or saved. I just watch the movie and take it as it is with whoever is available.**

Peter was in Octavius Industries, working on a prosthetic arm for his next customer. Doing it on his own feels very lonely, as he feels nostalgic for the days when he worked on prosthetic with Dr. Octavius. But Peter reminds himself that he owns this lab now. He's gotta handle things on his own. MJ may tell him that he's not alone anymore, but when it comes to keeping Octavius Industries open, he's mostly alone on that part. He's been taking a careful approach to the current prosthetic arm he's working on, mostly because he accidentally blew up the last one.

"Okay, I just got to secure the internal wiring," Peter said to himself. "Carefully... carefully... carefully..."

Knock-Knock-Knock!

"Whoa!" Peter reacted.

Due to the surprised feeling caused by the knocking, Peter accidentally short-circuits the arm. The good news, the damage isn't too severe. The bad news, it may take a while to repair it.

"Coming!" He said to whoever is behind the door.

Peter opens the door. To his surprise, Silver Sable is the one visiting him. She smiled that weird smile at him.

"Hi," Silver greeted.

"Hey," Peter greeted.

"May I come in?" asked Silver.

"Uh, sure," said Peter. "It's just me here, after all."

Silver walks in. She starts looking at all the tech Peter is working on. He couldn't help but notice something strange, but he just ignored it because she's always been strange to him. She went from shooting him to kissing him. She went from criticizing him to praising him. Heck, she sang at a karaoke bar. If she suddenly grew a taste for sports, he wouldn't be surprised.

"So, what can I do for you?" asked Peter.

"Nothing. I just... came here to see you," Silver said strangely.

Silver started fiddling around with some prosthetic equipment. Peter quickly grabs these things out of her hands before something could go wrong.

"Whoa, hey, hey. Easy. This stuff is not cheap," said Peter.

"Sorry," said Silver.

"Did I forget some rendezvous or something?" Peter asked.

"Maybe," Silver said flirtatiously.

Silver touches Peter's cheek with her hand in a rather uncomfortable way. Uncomfortable for Peter, that is. She was also looking at him strangely. That smile on her face, it's unsettling because it's so freakishly real. Then there's the seemingly flirtatious look in her eyes.

"Uh... what?" Peter asked, confused.

"Do I need a reason to come and see you?" asked Silver. "Don't we always see each other?"

"Okay, you're freaking me out," Peter said nervously. "Look, I'm gonna get back to work. Help yourself to anything in the snack area. I got apples, nachos, and pizza."

"If you wish," said Silver.

Peter turns around and gets back to work. Silver was about to head to the snack area, only to stop. She slowly reaches for her weapon, which looks like a large, black sci-fi gun. Peter's Spider Sense goes off just as Silver was about to pull the trigger.

CRASH!

Someone or something broke through the ceiling and landed hard on the floor, capturing both Peter and Silver's attention. A large and bright yellow glow nearly blinds them. The light slowly dims, but remains active. The princess and the scientist can at least see now who it is.

"Captain Marvel?" Peter reacted, shocked.

A suit colored red, gold, and shining space blue. An eight-pointed gold star on the chest. Red gloves, red boots, and a red belt. Long, wavy blonde hair that shines more because of the yellow glow. Yup, it's Captain Marvel herself.

Silver aims her weird gun at the superhero, only for Captain Marvel to fire a photon blast at her. The blast knocks Silver back and sends her crashing high on the wall. She falls unconscious.

"What are you doing?!" Peter shouted. "That's the Princess of Symkaria you just blasted."

"That's not Silver Sable," said Captain Marvel.

Silver Sable appears to be changing. She changes into what appears to be a green-skinned alien wearing a purple and black hi-tech suit.

"Skrull," said Captain Marvel.

"Skrull?" Peter questioned.

"Shape-shifting aliens. They can take the form of anyone. They can also mimic the voice of whoever they disguise as," said Captain Marvel.

"That explains why she was acting strange. Well, strange-er," said Peter.

"Silver Sable was locked in a closet in the Symkarian Embassy, so it could've looked into her memories for practice," said Captain Marvel. "It should've been able to fool you. Why did you suspect it?"

"Uh, never mind that," Peter evaded. He didn't want to talk about the flirting, 'cause it was uncomfortable. "But thanks. Thanks for saving me."

"No problem, Spider-Man," said Captain Marvel.

"W-W-W-Wait, you know?" Peter stuttered, surprised.

"I figured it out," said Captain Marvel. "Why would a Skrull think Silver Sable would want to visit some forgotten science company run by a lab nerd? Unless that nerd uses this lab to create his suits and gadgets. And who else is Silver Sable close with in this town?"

"Whoa," Peter said, wowed.

"Just kidding," Captain Marvel laughed. "Stark told me."

"Oh," Peter reacted. "Wait, if the Skrull looked in into Sable's memories..."

"Then the Skrulls figured out you're Spider-Man," Captain Marvel realized.

"Not good," said Peter.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I gotta take this thing out of here and look for the others," said Captain Marvel.

"Wait, there's more?" asked Peter.

"Three Skrulls escaped S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. I tracked them here to New York," said Captain Marvel.

"Then let me help you," Peter said eagerly. "I mean, I'm sure you can handle it on your own. But it's my city and it's my job to look out for it. Plus, who am I to pass up a team-up opportunity?"

Peter quickly grabs his suit and changes in his room. He comes out of his room after ten seconds, dressed up in the white spider suit and ready to go.

"I like the Iron Spider better," said Captain Marvel.

"Then I might summon it mid-battle," said Spider-Man.

"Well, let's get moving," said Captain Marvel.

Captain Marvel grabs the unconscious female Skrull and flies out of Octavius Industries through the hole in the roof, which she caused by crashing in. Spider-Man quickly worries about his pockets.

"That ceiling isn't cheap, by the way!" Spider-Man shouted.

* * *

Spider-Man was eager to get in his suit, but Captain Marvel was eager to get out of her suit. She tracked the next Skrull at Oscorp, but she didn't want to barge in as Captain Marvel. The world may know she is Carol Danvers, but the Skrulls don't know that. Spider-Man suggested she put on a pair of glasses. He said, "They work every time." Carol thinks he's being ridiculous, but she wears glasses anyway.

Walking through the front door, Carol talks to the receptionist about her appointment with Norman Osborn. She is told to take the elevator to the top floor.

"Okay, I'm going in," Carol reported through her phone. "Better hope these glasses are worth it."

 _"If that Skrull doesn't recognize you, you'll be thanking me," said Spider-Man._

"You got this idea from a comic book. My hopes are not too high about it," said Carol.

Carol heads into the elevator. Just as she was about to close it, someone told her to hold it open. That someone is a familiar redhead who happens to be an associate of Spider-Man. Mary Jane Watson. As the elevator goes up, Carol speaks to the Daily Bugle's associate editor.

"Ms. Watson, I presume?" Carol started.

"Yeah, that's me," said MJ.

"What brings you to Oscorp?" asked Carol.

"That's classified, I'm afraid," said MJ.

"Interviewing Osborn for a story?" Carol guessed.

"Maybe," MJ replied. "What about you? Business partner or associate of a business partner?"

"Maybe," Carol answered vaguely. "Don't write me down, okay?"

"Okay," MJ promised.

While Carol waited for the elevator to reach the top floor, she leaned casually against the corner. So far, the glasses were working. Mary Jane Watson herself couldn't recognize her. Speaking of MJ, Carol can't help but notice that she was acting strange. She kept staring at her hand. Either she has a rash or something else. Whatever it was, the reflection of the wall can show Carol that MJ looked scared. Whatever business she has with Norman, it's something more than just a story. Carol now wonders, "Does Peter know she's here?" She learned from Tony that Peter and MJ are close.

The elevator stops at the first floor, where both MJ and Carol get off. They both wait outside Norman's office. Carol gets some distance from MJ so she can talk to Spider-Man.

"Hey, Parker. Did you know that Mary Jane Watson is here?" asked Carol.

 _"Wait, MJ's there? What is she doing there?" Spider-Man asked, shocked._

"I don't know," said Carol. "Probably just a story."

 _"I hope so," said Spider-Man. "Oscorp is not exactly good luck paradise for anyone in this city, especially for the two of us."_

"The Skrull is inside Norman's office. Just stay put until I call for you," said Carol.

 _"Yeah, Norman's not exactly my biggest fan," said Spider-Man. "Just keep MJ safe. She hates being protected, but still."_

The doors to Norman's office opens. Inside were Norman Osborn and Dr. Morgan Michaels. Carol's Skrull tracker pinpoints her to the spot where Dr. Michaels is standing, meaning he's the Skrull. When Dr. Michaels looked at Carol, he didn't react.

"Wow. These glasses really work," Carol said, surprised.

 _"Told you," Spider-Man bragged._

"Okay, I'm about to make some noise," said Carol. "When I give you the signal, go."

 _"Wait, can the signal be, marvelous?" asked Spider-Man._

"You're hilarious, webhead," Carol said, both sarcastically and half-honestly.

Carol walks closer towards Norman and Dr. Michaels. They were talking something about "medicine" and something "negative." Carol focused on getting closer to Dr. Michaels. In her peripheral vision, MJ could see the blonde stranger's fist glowing yellow. The negative energy in her immediately spiked due to the feeling of alarm.

"Dr. Michaels, look out!" MJ shouted.

MJ shoves Dr. Michaels aside and pushes the stranger away, with her hands powered by negative energy. At normal strength, MJ would have just pushed the stranger back a few feet. But with the negative energy inside of her, the push knocked the stranger to a wall.

"It's getting worse," Norman said. "Michaels, get the medicine!"

Dr. Michaels runs to the elevator. Carol decides to literally shine bright, casting a large and blinding yellow glow to prevent "Michaels" from escaping. She also incinerated her own civilian clothing, as she was wearing her suit underneath the whole time. She gets rids of the glasses as well.

"Captain Marvel?" MJ was shocked.

Dr. Michaels pulls out a hi-tech-looking gun (which looked like the one the Skrull back in Peter's lab owned) and shoots at Captain Marvel. Captain Marvel shields herself from the laser blasts while MJ and Norman find cover. Dr. Michaels suddenly changes back into a Skrull, deciding that his cover is blown so the disguise is no longer necessary. This shocked MJ and Norman.

"That's just marvelous," Captain Marvel commented randomly.

Upon hearing the world _marvelous_ , Spider-Man bursts in.

"You again?!" Norman complained.

"Yeah, me again," Spider-Man said humorously.

The Skrull shoots at Spider-Man, but he dodges all the blasts. While in mid-air, Spider-Man webs the blaster away from the Skrull and throws it back at his face. Captain Marvel flies towards the Skrull at high speed and crashes her photon-powered fist into his face, knocking him down. Captain Marvel puts her foot on the Skrull's chest and interrogates him.

"Where's Dr. Michaels?" Captain Marvel demanded an answer.

While Captain Marvel gets an answer out of the Skrull, Spider-Man approaches his girlfriend and the father of his best friend. MJ was definitely happy to see him. Norman, on the other hand, not at all.

"Are you both okay?" asked Spider-Man.

"We are," said MJ. "Thank you, Spider-Man."

"Yes, thanks," Norman said with contempt and mild gratitude.

"Hey, if this is about Devil's Breath, just remember, you put a target on my back for no reason," said Spider-Man.

"Okay, let's relax here," MJ interrupted. "Mr. Osborn, I know you're not fond of Spider-Man, but it would be nice if you could show true appreciation for once. And, Spider-Man, let's not provoke him."

"No problem," said Spider-Man.

"Dr. Michaels is in a janitor's closet. Ground floor," Captain Marvel reported. "C'mon, Spidey. We got somewhere else to be."

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry about earlier, Captain Marvel," MJ apologized. "I thought you were a threat."

"That's okay," said Captain Marvel. "Don't worry. Your _secret_ is safe with me."

Captain Marvel winks just to emphasize her promise. MJ can guess that she's planning not to tell Spider-Man about her powers. If that's so, she can only nod at the red-blue-and-gold-suited superhero.

"So, Captain Marvel, you booked an appointment because you knew Dr. Michaels was replaced by an impostor?" Norman questioned.

"You're a difficult man, as I have heard, Mr. Osborn. I had to be a little more discreet with my approach," said Captain Marvel. "Don't expect apologies. I just came here to do my job."

Captain Marvel flies away with the Skrull. Spider-Man glares at Norman before swinging away. MJ sighs with relief. She had just used her new negative powers on Captain Marvel (which she really feels ashamed about; those glasses really fooled her), but Spider-Man didn't see her use them. But she can't keep him in the dark for long. Question is, when does she plan to tell him?

* * *

Captain Marvel was currently hovering over the billboard advertising Jameson' podcast, Just the Facts. Spider-Man just arrived with a box of donuts and two cups of coffee. While Captain Marvel takes her time tracking down the third and final Skrull, Spider-Man thought they can rest and just eat. Captain Marvel takes her cup and grabs herself a glazed donut from the box.

"She's a nice girl," Captain Marvel started.

"MJ? Yeah, she is," Spider-Man agreed.

"To look at a guy like Osborn in the face just for an interview, she's brave, too," Captain Marvel added.

"I'm a lucky guy," said Spider-Man.

"I almost feel jealous," Captain Marvel teased.

"Hey, if this is about that time I called you _beautiful_ , I was being nice. I wasn't flirting," said Spider-Man.

"I know," Captain Marvel shrugged. "So, what was that whole deal with Sable and this Black Cat?"

"I really don't want to talk about it," said Spider-Man. "But know this. I'm not the backstabbing type of boyfriend, okay?"

"I thought so. You're too nice a guy," said Captain Marvel.

"We barely talked during the Kree invasion, but you know me well already? I feel special," said Spider-Man.

"You intrigue me," said Captain Marvel. "You have all these powers, all these gadgets, all these smarts, and you're not in school anymore. You could be out there in the world, fighting alongside the Avengers. But here you are. In New York. It's admirable, but puzzling."

"I did want to go out into the world, but New York in my home. Being a Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, it's a lot more rewarding," said Spider-Man. "After losing my parents, my uncle and aunt, all I want is to live my life. I have MJ, a protege, a job I need to work out. I know there's more out there for me, but I choose to stay here."

"Pride," Captain Marvel commented. "I know a little bit about that myself."

"Well, you have your reasons to be proud of yourself," said Spider-Man.

"I was kidnapped and brought to the Kree's home planet to be experimented on, you know," said Captain Marvel. "The man I love, Phillip Lawson, who helped me through my career as a scientist and at the Air Force, turned out to be one of the Kree. His real name is Mar-Vell. But he loved me back and turned on them. I had to leave him behind on his home planet because he wanted to redeem the Kree on his own, and now I can't even visit him to know if he's alive or not. All this power I have, but I don't feel whole."

"Have hope. I'm sure he's alright. I'm sure he'll reach out to you when the time is right," said Spider-Man.

"I hope so, too," said Captain Marvel. "Ugh, I can't believe I'm sharing all this with you."

"No, that's good. We all need to talk about our feelings at times," said Spider-Man. "It helps when there's someone who will listen to you."

"I guess all this overconfidence is just a mask," said Captain Marvel. "But knowing that, why do I still put it on?"

"You hate to feel vulnerable. I know the feeling. Sometimes," said Spider-Man. "You should talk to Sable. She's just like you. Not so great at dealing with emotions, but has her own unique way of handling them. Don't ask me how she does it. She's a total mystery."

"The Avengers aren't exactly on good terms with Sable," said Captain Marvel.

"What do you mean?" asked Spider-Man.

"You mean, they didn't tell you?" Captain Marvel responded.

"No, why?" Spider-Man answered.

"Oh, well, no reason," said Captain Marvel. "It's just nothing."

When Silver Sable left Symkaria, she told the Avengers to recover her stolen tech from African terrorists. That was a lie. She just needed to send the Avengers on an errand to give her a window of opportunity to abandon the war without them pursuing her. Captain Marvel reminded herself to talk to Symkarian princess after finding the third Skrull.

"So, I hear you listen to the mustache man's podcast," Captain Marvel mentioned randomly, gesturing to the picture of Jameson on the billboard she's sitting on.

"He's hilariously frustrating, amusing in an insufferable way, and I guess I just love listening to his reactions. They can be hysterical," said Spider-Man. "It's 50% slamming my name, 25% trying to convince callers that I'm a menace, 20% plugging his own podcast, 4.99% politics, and 0.01% none of the above."

"And yet it's popular?" Captain Marvel questioned.

"I'll take his podcast over Screwball's channel any day of forever," said Spider-Man.

"Celebrity superhero. Heck, all superheroes are basically celebrities," said Captain Marvel.

"Except for Wolverine," said Spider-Man. "You met him before?"

"Once," Captain Marvel answered.

Spider-Man's crime alert sounded. There was a break-in happening nearby. He looks at Captain Marvel, asking her if he would like to him. Captain Marvel's smile is all the "yes" he needs.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

A gang of nine thugs were trying to break into an apartment building from the rooftop door. Five of them were armed with crowbars. Two of them are armed with guns. Two of them are brutes. There were three hostages as well, all who were forced to stay quiet and don't move f they want to stay alive. One of the hostages looked over at the edge and saw Spider-Man's head peeking out. He gives her a "shh" gesture, telling her to be quiet. She subtly nods and keeps her mouth shut.

"Okay, I'm in," said the thug picking the lock.

Thug #1 opens the door, only to find a surprise behind. It was Captain Marvel, arms crossed and looking at the thugs like a disappointed mother.

"Didn't your mothers tell you that breaking and entering is illegal?" Captain Marvel started.

"It's that bitch, Captain Marvel!" Thug #5 shouted.

"Tsk-tsk. Language, children. Language," Captain Marvel scolded.

"Shoot the hostages!" Thug #1 ordered.

Thugs #6 and #7 - the ones armed with guns - were about to shoot the civilians, only for the two of them to get hit by Concussive Blasts, courtesy of Spider-Man. He webs one of the dropped guns during a jump and web-throws it at Thug #7 to knock him out. He then fires Concussive Blasts at the other thugs, blowing them down on their butts and backs.

"Run!" Spider-Man said to the hostages.

Captain Marvel steps aside and lets the hostages run inside the apartment building for safety.

"Thanks, Spider-Man! You, too, Captain Marvel!" One of the hostages said gratefully.

Now that the hostages are safe, that leaves Spider-Man and Captain Marvel against the remaining seven conscious thugs who are getting back up from the Concussive Blasts.

"Now, you can either get in the corner and think about your life choices," said Spider-Man.

"Or do we have to give you one hell of a spanking?" Captain Marvel added, cracking her knuckles.

Brute #1 responds by throwing a punch at Captain Marvel. She catches his fist in her hand effortlessly, twists his wrist, and then headbutts him to unconsciousness.

"Spanking, it is," said Captain Marvel.

Spider-Man webs both Thugs #1 and #2 and pulls towards each other, knocking both of them out. Thug #3 attacks with his crowbar, but Spider-Man dodges it but jumping over his head. He lands on his two hands and kicks Thug #3 in the face and chest three times. He knocks out Thug #3 with an upside-down helicopter kick. After blocking Thug #4's crowbar, Spider-Man punches him in the face, spin-kicks him on the head, back-kicks him in the stomach, and then sticks him to a rooftop fan with Impact Web.

Captain Marvel toys with Thug #5 by nonchalantly blocking his crowbar swings. He decides to show off his martial arts skills and goes for a jumping double kick. Captain Marvel grabs his leg and then slams him face-first on the ground. Thug #6 picks up his gun, but Captain Marvel grabs the end and squeezes it until it dents. She simply knocks out Thug #6 with a photon-powered punch to the face. Brute #2 lunges forward for a big punch, so she punches straight for his incoming fist. The brute actually broke his fist punching her fist. She finishes him with a photon blast.

Unfortunately, the blast was so powerful that Brute #2 stumbled off the edge and starts falling to his doom. Fortunately, Spider-Man catches him and webs him to the side of the building, alarming a man on the phone looking out his window.

"Plan on being careful, next time?" Spider-Man scolded.

"I'm used to fighting tanks, missiles, and armored-up soldiers, not street-level thugs," said Captain Marvel. "Besides, don't you knock people off buildings, too?"

"Accidentally," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man's phone rings. It was MJ. When he answered, he heard her panicked voice.

 _"Pete, we got a problem!" MJ yelled._

"What is it?" asked Spider-Man.

 _"I was tracking down a shapeshifter, like the one who posed as Dr. Michaels. It just so happens that Miles, Sable, and Black Cat were tracking it the same time I was," said MJ. "We're at a warehouse on the Upper West Side. Hurry! We don't know who to trust here."_

"Wait, how do I know this isn't a shapeshifter calling?" asked Spider-Man. "Captain Marvel said they can mimic voices."

 _"You and I dated for two years in college. We broke up because you babied me. We didn't see each other again after six moths. We got back together over three months later," said MJ. "Oh, and you made me chicken curry when I invited you over to my place."_

"Okay, assuming the shapeshifter hasn't peeped into your memories, like Captain Marvel said they can do, I'm gonna assume it's really you. For now," said Spider-Man.

* * *

Some time later, at the warehouse, everyone is at an impasse. Spider-Man, Captain Marvel, Mary Jane Watson, Kid Arachnid, Black Cat, and Silver Sable were standing in a very large circle, staring each other down suspiciously. The shapeshifter (Skrull) is still in the building and it could be any one of them. None of them made a move. They wanted the others to make a move. (Captain Marvel lost her Skrull tracker during a fight with Black Cat, so she can only use her eyes and ears)

"Hey, Felicia," Spider-Man greeted.

"Hey, Spider," Black Cat greeted. "It is you, is it?"

"I can ask you the same thing," said Spider-Man. "How did you wind up here?"

"I saw a Black Cat lookalike," said Black Cat. "Couldn't let a copycat get in my way, could I?"

"Sable?" Spider-Man asked.

"Yet another impostor with my face. Tracked it here," said Silver.

"What about you, kid?" Spider-Man asked his sidekick.

"Same story. Saw someone impersonating as me. I had to check it out," said Kid Arachnid.

"So, Ms. Marvel," Black Cat said the half-Kree superhero.

" _Captain_ Marvel," Captain Marvel corrected.

"I take it that it's not coincidence this shapeshifter shows up the same time you did," said Black Cat.

"Definitely not," Captain Marvel agreed.

"Having fun consorting with our Friendly Neighborhood Hero?" Black Cat teased.

"Whoa, wrong idea, Felicia," said Spider-Man.

"Really? I saw you two being very chummy on top of Jameson's billboard," Black Cat teased further.

"Can't I have one girl in my life who won't be accused of being my girlfriend?" Spider-Man complained.

"That's what you deserve for being so handsome," Black Cat flirted.

"Aren't we supposed to be accusing each other of being a shapeshifter?" MJ interrupted, feeling uncomfortable by all the teasing and flirting.

"Okay, there's only one way to know for sure," said Spider-Man. "The shapeshifter can look into our memories, but it can't behave like us accurately or understand our feelings completely."

"Well, you don't have to worry about me behaving at all, Spider," Black Cat said flirtatiously.

"Okay, that rules out Felicia," said Spider-Man.

"What about Captain Marvel? Are we sure she is who she is?" asked Kid Arachnid.

Captain Marvel responds by firing a photon blast at a crate, blasting it to pieces. Kid Arachnid "raises an eyebrow" (at least, how the mask's eyes would present a raised eyebrow) at the superheroine.

"These shapeshifters can't copy super powers," Captain Marvel clarified.

"Sable, how do really feel about me?" asked Spider-Man.

"My fondness for you matters not. My past actions may implicate strong affection, but I do not wish to intrude upon your heart if it has connected with another," Silver replied in her own dramatic tone.

"I am touched and confused at the same time," said Spider-Man.

"You make it sound like she does that to you better than I do," said Black Cat.

"MJ," Spider-Man said, telling his girlfriend that it's her turn. "Do you love me?"

MJ smiles and says, in a purely emotional tone, "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. I've known you my whole life, Peter, and I would not trade what we have for anything. That's how much you mean to me. I'm the Agent MJ to your Spider-Cop, and I always will be."

Spider-Man takes a moment to take in every single word MJ just said. No way a Skrull can say those words with pure love. The MJ in front of him is the real deal.

"Okay, kid," Spider-Man said to his sidekick. "Do you blame me for your father's death."

"Uh... well... no. No, no, no, I don't. I mean, it was all Li, right?" Kid Arachnid said rather nervously and flippantly. "You're my bro, bro. I would never hate you."

"There's our impostor," Spider-Man realized.

Kid Arachnid... or to be more specific, the Skrull... realizes that he messed up. Outnumbered and outmatched, he makes a run for it. Since he can't replicate super powers, he runs as fast as a normal person (Skrulls are pretty much as durable and as physically capable as humans, minus the shapeshifting and green skin). That means his enemies have a huge chance of catching him.

"Get him," Spider-Man said calmly.

Spider-Man, Black Cat, and Silver Sable chase the Skrull from behind. Captain Marvel flies high for height advantage. MJ goes around to cut him off.

The Skrull searches for the blaster he hid and found it where he left it, right under a rag. He uses it to defend himself against his enemies. The rapid-fire blasting caused Spider-Man, Black Cat, and Silver Sable to run off into different directions for cover. Captain Marvel was closing in on the Skrull, but his blaster comes with a super-max setting. While the more powerful laser blast didn't hurt Captain Marvel, it did blow her back a bit.

The Skrull continues to run, only for MJ to get in his way to the nearest door.

"Let's be honest. It's not like you can escape even if you got out," said MJ.

The Skrull turns around, only to be intercepted by Black Cat.

"No one like a copycat," said Black Cat.

Black Cat scratches the Skrull across the face, leaving three nasty bleeding cuts, and double-kicks him down. The Skrull - while transforming back to his true form - manages to fend her off with more blaster fire.

That blaster gets shot off his hand by Silver Sable.

"A brave soldier fights, a smart soldier knows surrender," said Silver.

Silver strikes with a graceful butterfly kick to the head. As he lied on the floor in pain, the Skrull tries to crawl away. That was until a web line attaches itself to his hand. It pulls him up for a face-to-face talk with Spider-Man, who is standing on top of a beam above.

"Wow, and I thought you looked ugly before," Spider-Man insulted.

Spider-Man lets go of the line and the Skrull falls down a bit hard. However, he was in arm's reach of his blaster, which he uses to scare off Black Cat and Silver Sable. Just when he thought he still had a chance, he gets tased from behind.

MJ and her stun gun to the rescue!

The Skrull lies unconscious on the floor.

"When he wakes up, we'll ask him where Miles is," said Spider-Man.

"Well, I guess that concludes my business," said Captain Marvel. "Thanks, Spidey, even if I could've handled this myself."

"Hey, I can handle a gang of six, but a little help never hurts," said Spider-Man.

Whispering into the web-slinger's ear, Captain Marvel says, "Keep an eye on Mary Jane. Just in case."

Spider-Man was gonna ask what that was about, but Captain Marvel had walked away to talk to the Princess of Symkaria. The half-Kree superhero and the silver-haired mercenary get some distance from everyone else so they can talk in private. Silver can tell from Captain Marvel's face that she's not exactly feeling happy about what they're about to discuss. Silver knows why.

"I understand you are still bitter about my deception," said Silver.

"We can be glad that you helped us save King T'Challa's people from actual African terrorists, but you still lied to us," said Captain Marvel. "We'd laugh this off as some prank pulled for good reasons, but knowing you, your lie means something deep and not good at all."

"My reasons are my own, Captain Danvers," said Silver. "I am staying here in Manhattan, whether or not you and the Avengers despise me."

"You're lucky I'm merciful," said Captain Marvel. "But just so you know, I don't buy this whole thief nonsense. You're a very capable person. You would've captured that thief a long time ago. Yet, according the news, you've been exploring and reacquainting yourself with this city. No word about the one who stole your tech."

Silver can only glare at Captain Marvel, who glared back. Captain Marvel does the wise thing and walks away. While she can definitely take on Silver, she would rather not let this escalate into a petty battle.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Half an hour later, Spider-Man found the real Kid Arachnid. According to the Skrull, who had just woken up, the younger spider-powered hero was in the warehouse next to the one they were just in. Spider-Man finds his sidekick, unconscious, in a crate full of hay. _Where did all this hay come from_ , Spider-Man wondered. But what's important is that Kid Arachnid is safe.

Kid Arachnid started to wake up.

"Ugh, where am I? What happened?" He asked.

"Long story," said Spider-Man.

"I think I remember chasing some shapeshifter disguised as me," said Kid Arachnid. "He knocked me out with some sci-fi blaster."

"Okay, that's definitely what happened," said Spider-Man. "Don't worry. We got him."

"Oh, I heard Captain Marvel is here," said Kid Arachnid. "Can I meet her?"

"I'm right here."

Per Spider-Man's request, Captain Marvel came here so the young hero can meet her. It's safe to say Kid Arachnid started geeking out, shaking Captain Marvel's hand excitedly like when he shook Spider-Man's hand for the first time.

"Easy there, kid," said Captain Marvel.

"Sorry," Kid Arachnid apologized as he stopped shaking her hand. "I mean, can you blame me? You're an Avenger. This is awesome."

"Keep up the good work and you might become one yourself one day," said Captain Marvel.

"That's his choice," said Spider-Man.

"But it would be cool, though," said Kid Arachnid.

* * *

Black Cat gets away. MJ is still hiding her corruption from Peter. Kid Arachnid feels 100% after recovering from a laser blast. Spider-Man goes back on patrol. Silver avoids Captain Marvel before the latter's departure. Speaking of Captain Marvel, she hasn't exactly left the city yet. She had to stay and see someone. That someone is a young vigilante busting crime in Washington Heights.

A 24-year-old Muslin girl dressed blue top with a yellow lightning bolt (resembling Captain Marvel's symbol when she was "Ms. Marvel") over a red body suit, yellow gloves, and blue boots. She possesses some kind of super power that allows her to stretch and change size according to her will.

She demonstrates that by punching a mugger with a (super) outstretched arm, possible stretched by over fifteen feet. She stretches her arm towards the mugger against and knocks him out with a punch to the face.

"That oughta teach you to pick on the poor and innocent," she said.

"I see you're giving it a try already," said a familiar voice.

The new vigilante turns around and sees Carol Danvers, dressed in a black jacket and jeans to hide herself from the public. The vigilante quickly runs towards Carol and hugs her.

"Okay, easy, Kamala," said Carol.

"Sorry," said Kamala. "It's just, I'm so happy to see you. It's been a while."

"I know," said Carol. "So, you're deciding to start your superhero career early, huh?"

"Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid can't be everywhere at once. They could use a helping hand," said Kamala.

"I just want you to be sure you know what you're doing, Kamala," said Carol.

"I know it's dangerous, but I want to help, to be a hero," said Kamala. "I just need to think of a name first."

"I already know of one," said Carol. "Ms. Marvel."

"Wait, really? You want me to carry your former superhero name?" Kamala asked excitedly.

"You're already wearing Ms. Marvel's symbol on your shirt. Might as well wear the name as well. Besides, you deserve it," said Carol. "But first, what's say we head to the gym and work on your hand-to-hand combat training?"

"Oh, yes, yes, yes! Thank you, thank you!" Kamala said excitedly, hugging her hero again.

 **Don't be expecting much for Kamala Khan moving forward. She's only going to be appearing infrequently. I have too many supporting characters to juggle along with the Main Six, but I didn't want to write a Captain Marvel chapter without including Kamala Khan.**

 **So, what do you think? Leave a review and tell me, if you want.**


	37. The Big Escape

**Before we get started...**

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know I've played the running gag of "all the girls love Spidey" a lot since the beginning of this story. In spite of that running gag, I've tried to make it clear that Peter is staying with MJ. Yet, judging by some reviews from the previous chapter, it seems that Spidey's girl situation is still remaining a huge attention grabber, especially considering Silver is pregnant with you-know-who's kid. Now, regarding the reviews of Bismarck Alexander and idlefishpuppy, my response is a big NO. There is no "harem" (man, I hate that word) happening in the future. I mean, seriously, that's just... NO! Peter is loyal and very committed to MJ. This may be a FanFic story, but I wanna make sure the characters remain identical to the video game despite a few OOC moments (Silver Sable, being a key example). With the exception of Black Cat, maybe I've overplayed the gag and it's long overdue for the joke to stop. But I guess I'm not done with it yet.**

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 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: Knox, rex1297, K2-Black-Panther, Heinkelboy05, JackTom, josephguy217, Knox**

 ** _To Knox_: Okay, thanks for the info. The way I saw things from every movie and cartoon I've seen, I assumed Skrulls can only change their appearance. I always thought the Kl'rt/Super Skrull required a scientific experimentation of some sort to gain the Fantastic Four's powers. I just thought that when it comes to the normal Skrulls, it's really just a matter of appearance, not powers (at least, not without extra experiments).**

 ** _Another reply to Knox_: I'm glad we can clear up the misunderstanding with the questions. Not afraid to admit you have Asperger's, I see. I envy your bravery.**

 ** _To K2-Black-Panther_: You don't have to apologize for being absent for a long time from my story. As a writer myself who has known what it feels like to be too busy to always be on FanFiction, I understand that everyone can be too busy themselves. Next time you review, you don't have to apologize. Just stating your thoughts on my story is enough. Thank you.**

 ** _To CG_: I honestly don't know what to think. Endgame played the time travel thing a little differently, so I prefer not to hurt myself thinking too much about it. Personally, I'm leaning more towards the Russo brothers' explanation.**

 ** _To Guest (talking about Gwen Stacy)_: I don't know if I want to do that. Yes, you said so yourself, I can throw a Gwen Stacy nod without promising a future appearance. Still...**

 ** _To Guest (talking about DC's Dark Multiverse)_: 1) I don't know, really. I already did a dark Peter in that one Noir AU chapter. 2) I really have no response.**

The Raft. New York's maximum security prison. Floating just outside of Manhattan. Inside are the worst of the worst of New York's criminals. Criminals with rap sheets as long as a football field, victims/volunteers of human experiments, and superpowered villains that fought Spider-Man. The Raft has received a less-than-good reputation ever since the breakout last year caused by the Sinister Six. Despite that, the warden assured the public that The Raft's security has been tripled since Spider-Man recaptured all the escapees. Unfortunately...

The warden doesn't know that The Raft is being sabotaged from the inside. The only reason he doesn't know is because a fraction of the staff have been paid to stay quiet.

Martin Li sat in his cell, calm as a flower on a windy day.

Wilson Fisk ate his meal in silence, just waiting for the right time.

Otto Octavius grimaced as he thought of getting revenge on Peter Parker and Norman Osborn.

Max Dillon paced around in his cell with anger.

Aleksei Sytsevich continues to feel trapped in his Rhino suit, describing it as a second prison.

Adrian Tooms is in the infirmary, being treated for his spinal cancer.

Mac Gargan is thinking about new poison to use if he ever gets out.

Lonnie Lincoln is still in a coma.

It just seemed like a normal evening at The Raft. The prison staff is in control and the prisoners are right where they belong. Unfortunately, the two prison guards in the control room - both wearing shades to conceal their glowing eyes - were planning something. The warden is in the control room, unconscious, tied up, and his mouth duct-taped.

The clock strikes 9.

"Shiji yi dao ( _The time has come_ )," said one of the guards.

Glowy-eyed Guard #2 takes out what appears to be a detonator and pauses dramatically. The time has come, as his fellow guard said. The detonator is about to create something destruction.

So, he pushes the button.

One guard was standing by the prison's backup generator when...

BOOM!

That explosion was immediately followed by the power going out. The backup generator beeped, and it also went...

BOOM!

The first explosion took out the power. The next four left four separate messes that would remind everyone of last year's breakout.

From inside his cell, Martin Li remains calm and collected as he felt the quaking caused by the explosions. The sinister smile on his face meant that he knew this was coming and he was glad that it came. His powers begin to surge from inside him. His skin glows black. His clothes glow white. His eyes glow with menace.

"Finally," he said.

* * *

Peter was at MJ's apartment, just relaxing with his girlfriend. She was just finishing her latest article while he was preparing some chicken curry. There was literally no crime today, so Peter had the whole day to spend with MJ. They even worked on a simple story earlier, with Peter taking pictures while MJ takes care of the interview. Unfortunately, news on explosions from The Raft quickly reached the TV and their phones. Peter knew what he had to do, and MJ nodded as a way of saying she understands. Peter puts on his Advanced Suit and makes his way to The Raft.

Miles was about to visit Janice. He knew she didn't want to talk to him after their breakup, which still hurts to think about, but he didn't want her to go down an ever darker path than she already is. Before he could enter her apartment building, he gets an alert on his phone about explosions at The Raft. Knowing her can't ignore this, he turns around and looks for hiding place to suit up. Besides, if he's lucky, she'll suit up as Beetle and meet him at The Raft. It's dangerous, but so is she.

On the streets, a hooded Yuri was about to get a drink at some bar. Unfortunately, news of The Raft's explosion meant that a drink will have to wait. Rushing back to her secret hideout, she grabs her Wraith suit and gadgets, suiting up and preparing to contain the situation. Of course, she might do New York a little favor with a few executions. So long as no one sees who's under the mask, she's safe.

Silver Sable is lying down on her bed, patting her stomach non-stop. Besides the "package" she is holding within, she had just ingested a box of half-a-dozen cupcakes. Yet another craving. While those cupcakes were delicious, these cravings are driving Silver nuts. But cravings are gonna be the least of her worries when she reaches the midway point of her pregnancy. Then news of explosions coming from The Raft came in, and she knew she couldn't ignore it. She quickly puts on her midsection belt, which is made of titanium alloy to protect her baby from gunfire, and gets on her motorcycle.

Black Cat was fighting Demons that stole weapons from Ophelia Sarkissian's Queens unit. She incapacitated all of them, but one brute was unlucky. His brute strength combined with negative energy made things difficult for Black Cat. In an effort to defend herself, Black Cat sunk her claws into the brute's neck as she wrestled an RPG launcher from his hands. Despite her little reservations about killing, she hated doing it in service of someone. After packing up the weapons, she gets another call from Sarkissian. It's about The Raft breakout.

* * *

Spider-Man swings towards The Raft. There was a huge body of water between him and the prison, so he hitches a ride on a police helicopter, piloted by Detective Jean DeWolff. Unlike Commissioner Drew, she is willing to lend Spider-Man a hand if it's for the good of the city, just like her friend Yuri did.

"Thanks for the lift," Spider-Man said.

"Just hang on," said DeWolff.

"What happened?" asked Spider-Man.

"We don't know. All we know is that the power was cut right before the whole place started exploding," said DeWolff.

The two heard a thud from the other side of the chopper. It was just Kid Arachnid, who also decided to hitch a ride with his favorite police officer. Spider-Man wanted to send him home, but he knew Miles wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Mind if I join in on the fun?" Kid Arachnid started.

"This isn't gonna be fun, Kid," said Spider-Man.

"The Raft is filled with the worst of the worst this city has faced," said DeWolff.

"Don't worry, Jean. Between Spidey and I, we got this," Kid Arachnid said confidently.

"Your protege sure is confident, Spider-Man," DeWolff commented.

"Well, I couldn't ask for a better sidekick," said Spider-Man.

"Darn right," Kid Arachnid bragged.

DeWolff hovers close enough to The Raft for Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid to swing in. She heads back to Manhattan's coast, as she will need to bring in reinforcements. The two spider-powered heroes swing into the nearest hole on the side of the prison, caused by the explosions. Not only is it dark, but both prisoners and guards were scrambling to take control and find light for sight. Good thing Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid installed night vision in their masks.

"Man, this is a mess," said Kid Arachnid.

"Make a joke about it later. Right now, protect the guards," said Spider-Man.

Kid Arachnid goes low, while Spider-Man goes high. Kid Arachnid starts by webbing two criminals in the backs, dragging them away from the cops they were beating up and smashing their heads against each other. He then pulls a cop away from Prisoner#3 and electrocutes said prisoner to unconsciousness with an Electric Web. Prisoner #4 tries to attack from behind, but Kid Arachnid's Spider Sense alerted him. He shocks Prisoner #4 with his electrified fingers, knocking him out.

Spider-Man leaps high and fires two Trip Mines, webbing Prisoners #5 and #6 to the nearest walls. Still airborne, he web-yanks Prisoner #7 off the ground and then web-strikes him in the face. He ends his mid-flight entertainment with a "crash-landing," knocking out Prisoner#8 with a kick to the back of the head. He no-look-web-shoots Prisoner #9 in the face and web-throws Prisoner #10 against #9, knocking them both down.

A brutish superhuman stands and there is enough light cast from the big hole in the wall for him to see the two heroes. Fortunately, the two heroes were not discouraged. They both fire web lines at the brute's face and zip themselves forward, web-striking the brute at the same time, knocking him out.

"Oh, yeah!" Kid Arachnid cheered.

Kid Arachnid extends his fist forward. Spider-Man shrugs his shoulder and fist-bumps with his sidekick. It may be a bad time for a fist bump, but the kid asked for one.

"Good first round, but there's plenty more where that came from," said Spider-Man. "We have to find..."

Spider-Man stopped when his Spider Sense tingled. He grabs Kid Arachnid's arm as he jumps out of the way, just as electricity struck. Looking up and they saw where it came from. Who else other than...

"Electro," said Spider-Man.

"Hey, Spider-Man! Welcome back to The Raft. It's been, like what, a whole year?" Electro started.

Kid Arachnid was about to make a move, but Spider-Man blocks him from the electric-powered supervillain in a protective way.

"You go help any guards you find. I'll handle Electro," Spider-Man ordered.

"And if I run into any other supervillains?" asked Kid Arachnid.

"Be smart," Spider-Man answered.

"Okay," said Kid Arachnid. "Good luck, man."

Kid Arachnid swings away to look for more prisoners to put back in their cells, leaving his mentor alone with Electro. Electro charges up, feeling pumped up for this rematch. Spider-Man keeps his guard up in case of a sudden electric attack.

"I wish I brought my Anti-Electro suit," said Spider-Man.

"Not that it will do you any good," Electro bragged.

"Oh, wait a minute. I did bring it," said Spider-Man.

A pod flies in, hits Electro in the back of the head, and attaches itself to Spider-Man's chest. The pod starts dressing Spider-Man in a different suit right over his current suit. The Electrically Insulated Suit, which he can now cram into a pod for cross-city deployment. He learned that from F.R.I.D.A.Y.

"Thank you, Mr. Stark," Spider-Man said gladly.

Electro charges up again and fires a powerful electric blast. Spider-Man shields himself as he runs towards Electro. The suit's resistance to electricity has been greatly upgraded, allowing him to shrug off electric attacks like a pillow to the face. He jumps off two exposed pipes and web-strikes Electro. Electro recovers quickly and fires an even more powerful electric blast. Spider-Man gets knocked back several feet, but he feels A-okay.

"These upgrades are amazing. Spectacular, even," said Spider-Man.

"A spectacular failure when I'm through with you," Electro insulted. "Time for some real fireworks! The shocking kind!"

Spider-Man continues to swing around, dodging Electro's shock attacks. Electro tries zooming towards Spider-Man for a electric-powered "raging bull" attack. He tackles Spider-Man and slams him to the ceiling. He keeps the web-slinger pinned to the ceiling and tries to electrocute him. Spider-Man's suit, however, keeps repelling Electro's attacks.

"You want power, Electro? I'll give it to you," Spider-Man taunted.

Spider-Man grabs Electro's arms and starts absorbing his electric energy into his suit. Electro can actually feel himself getting weaker by the second. He tried to let go of Spider-Man, but the hero's grip on his arms was too strong.

"What are you doing?" asked Electro.

"My suit doesn't just resist electricity. It absorbs it," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man charges his own suit's electric power and unleashes an energy blast that sends Electro crashing down to the floor. Spider-Man webs Electro to the floor with a lot of webs. He even webs his mouth shut.

"Okay, you stay here. I'm serious," Spider-Man ordered. Jokingly, he adds, "And if you don't, I'll hook you up to the power to light up this place. How's that for being pure energy?"

"Nrrr!" Electro growled through his teeth. The webbing muffled his growl.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man searches for Kid Arachnid. What he found instead is a death match between two of his worst enemies. Scorpion vs. Rhino. It should be no surprise that these two chose to settle their scores upon escaping. After their petty dispute while fighting Spider-Man last year, they've hated each other since. Scorpion hates Rhino because he's a big dope. Rhino hates Scorpion for being rude and condescending (Gargan's mental state helps with that type of attitude).

Scorpion's tail barely does any harm to Rhino, who retaliates by shoulder-slamming Scorpion to a wall. Scorpion leaps away and fires a toxin at Rhino, which only mildly burns his armor. Rhino grabs a huge chunk of concrete and throws it at Scorpion, who leaps out of the way.

"You're madman, Gargan!" Rhino insulted. "We have chance to escape, and you choose now to settle scores between us?"

"Only one of us is getting out of this prison alive, Aleksei, and it's not gonna be you," said Scorpion.

"Wow, did you two learn nothing from your forced together time in that shipping container?" Spider-Man started humorously, attracting the two villains' attention. "Maybe I'll tell the warden to lock you both in the same cell."

"Spider-Man. About time," Scorpion said with a sinister tone. "Wearing the Anti-Electro threads, I see. Is it toxin-proof."

"I'll let you know in a minute," said Spider-Man.

Scorpion hurls toxin at Spider-Man. Spider-Man dodges the shot and web-strikes Scorpion. Spider-Man webs both Scorpion's tail and left arm and does a bunch of flipping and spinning in mid-air. This results in Scorpion getting tied up in his webs. Scorpion, however, breaks out five seconds later and starts hurling toxin at Spider-Man. Spider-Man dodges, jumps over, ducks under the blasts of toxin as he waits for something to happen.

"C'mon, bug! Hit me!" Scorpion dared, continuing to hurl toxin at the hero.

"Just... one... more... second," Spider-Man said, saying one word per dodge.

The same pod from before comes flying in. It removes the Electrically Insulated Suit from him. Another pod comes in just as the first one leaves. This second pod attaches onto Spider-Man and dresses him up in a different suit. The Iron Spider. He quickly activates the suit's four metallic spider legs. He uses these arms to block Scorpion's swinging tail. Scorpion couldn't move fast enough to get a single hit. Spider-Man jumps on Scorpion's tail and cuts off its head with one of his metallic legs. Toxin spills all over the floor.

"Oops. Looks like someone's been drinking too much water," Spider-Man joked.

"No!" Scorpion cried angrily. "You insufferable, irritating son of a..."

Spider-Man interrupts Scorpion by webbing his mouth shut and kicking him down. He then webs him to the wall, including his tail, with Impact Web.

"Language, man," Spider-Man scolded. "Is cursing an offense? 'Cause you're lucky I cut you off."

Spider-Man's Spider Sense goes off again just as Rhino roars. Rhino charges at Spider-Man. Spider-Man super-jumps high to dodge the charging beast. Rhino ends up hitting Scorpion instead, smashing him through the wall he was webbed to. Good news, Scorpion is unconscious. The bad news, that broken wall just adds to the list of the number of damages done during this breakout.

Rhino picks up a bigger chunk of concrete and throws it at Spider-Man. Spider-Man back-flips under it, webs it immediately, and throws it back at Rhino. Rhino breaks the concrete with his steel-covered fist. Knowing the 7'5'' would do that, Spider-Man quickly web-zips towards Rhino and punches him as hard as he can in the face. A back-flip kick to the chin for extra. Rhino goes for a punch, but Spider-Man slides through his legs to dodge it. Spider-Man attaches five Trip Mines to Rhino's back, sticking him to the nearest wall.

"Okay, now can we talk?" Spider-Man asked.

Unfortunately, Rhino breaks out of the webbing in only a few seconds. He was looking angrier now.

"Out of the way, Spider. Gargan and I have business to take care of," said Rhino.

"Well, we have business as well, Rhino," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man takes out what appears to be a metallic container and tosses it to Rhino.

"Apply that to one of your armor plates, and wait patiently for the result," said Spider-Man. "I'll come back for your later. Don't run off, and make sure Scorpion doesn't when he wakes up."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

In the infirmary, which was mostly untouched by the chaos, Tombstone still lied in a coma. It's been weeks and he hasn't moved a muscle. Without the chemicals that made him invulnerable in the past, who knows when he'll wake up? Or if he'll ever wake up? One person walked into the room to see if any progress has been made. Unfortunately, it wasn't one of the doctors. This someone was dressed in a dark purple suit and wore a mask that looked like the face of a ghostly demon.

It was Wraith.

"Still sleeping, scumbag?" Wraith whispered with hate.

Wraith would be lying to herself is she said she wasn't tempted to unplug his life support and let him die right now. But if it wasn't for the fact that he had a daughter who he cares about and who cares about him back, he would be in a body bag instead of an infirmary.

"I would make you pay for Teddy, but that is not why I'm here," said Wraith.

Suddenly, one injured prisoner comes in, looking for medical supplies. His shoulder is bleeding from a scuffle with other prisoners and he needs to patch it up. But then he saw Wraith.

"You're... you're... you're that Wraith chick I heard on TV," the prisoner said, scared.

"You know who I am. Well, then it's only fair I know who you are, and more importantly, what you did," Wraith said menacingly.

The prisoner grabs a nearby bottle of pills and quickly throws it at Wraith, who just moves her head to the side to dodge it. She then wraps one of her energy-powered whips around the prisoner's throat. She starts shocking him, causing him to scream loudly in pain as he drops to his knees.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" Wraith asked with soft fury. "Don't lie to me, or else."

After the shocking stopped, the hurt prisoner said, "Evan... Evan Dillon... I killed a man and his wife."

"Why?!" Wraith asked, tightening the whip's grip on Evan's throat.

"The husband was my boss... ack... he owed me money, he wouldn't pay," said Evan.

"Contemptible and unforgivable," Wraith judged. "Your judgment has been decided."

Wraith tightened the whip's hold on Evan's neck further, hurting him even more. After making him suffer for ten more seconds, she knees him on the side of the head, twisting his head so far to the left... his neck snapped. One second later, a web shot knocked the whip's handle from her hand. That was Kid Arachnid, who was just a second too late from saving Evan.

"You just broke his neck... and you're proud of it?!" Kid Arachnid questioned.

"He's a murderer with no remorse, kid. He deserved death," said Wraith.

"Maybe, but this is just plain cruel," Kid Arachnid criticized.

"Your mentor may be a good influence, kid, but he's not always right," said Wraith. "This is the only way to clean up this godforsaken city. Rid it of all the guilty."

"That includes Tombstone, right? Is that why you're in here?" Kid Arachnid guessed.

"Your girlfriend's got one messed up father," Wraith commented, referring to Beetle. "He should be lucky he loves her, otherwise... well, you know."

"Well, Spider-Man told me that if I come across any supervillains, such as you, I have to be smart," said Kid Arachnid. "So, here's something for ya!"

Kid Arachnid quickly fires a Trip Mine that drags Wraith out of the infirmary and sticks her to a wall. Kid Arachnid uses his Bio-Electric Touch on her, shocking her until she passes out. Unfortunately, Wraith persists long enough to break out of the webbing and back-kicks Kid Arachnid down. Kid Arachnid quickly webs up Wraith and web-throws her across the hall. He swings to her way, trying to keep her as far away from Tombstone as possible. Janice will kill him (literally and figuratively) if he let Wraith do anything to her father.

Meanwhile, back in the infirmary...

One of Tombstone's fingers just moved.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man swings from cell block to cell block, webbing prisoners left and right without even touching the ground. He encountered Sandman along the way, but he just tossed him back into his "jar" (yes, a giant glass jar is Sandman's prison in The Raft). It wasn't easy - it took a lot of taunting and Electric Webs - but he got it down. As for the next cell block, he tells all the guards to duck before unleashing his Web Blossom, webbing every prisoner in the area.

"Oh, yeah! I love that move!" Spider-Man cheered.

Suddenly, Spider-Man gets grabbed. It was Adrian Toomes, who is now back in his Vulture suit. Spider-Man webs Vulture's face and frees himself from the flying criminal's grasp. Spider-Man webs Vulture's wing pack and drags him to the floor.

"Ooh, sorry about you landing on your back," Spider-Man apologized. "On the bright side, Octavius' treatment'll do you good."

"Except thanks to you, Octavius' cure can never be recreated!" Vulture said angrily. "So, if I will die, then you die first, runt."

Vulture fires sharp projectiles from his wings (or metal "feathers"). Spider-Man dodges them, webs one of them, and throws it back at Vulture. Vulture shakes off the pain and gets back in flight. He starts spinning very fast, unleashing a hail of sharp metal feathers at the arachnid-themed superhero. Spider-Man had to flip and jump as fast as he can to dodge every incoming projectile. He even had to use the Iron Spider suit's arms to block and deflect some of the feathers.

"Gettin' dizzy yet, Toomes?" Spider-Man taunted.

Spider-Man then fires a web line at Vulture. The other end is stretched across the room. The longer Vulture spun, the more web he covers himself with. In the end, Vulture crashes down, webbed-up and a little dizzy.

"I wish I can help you," Spider-Man said sincerely.

Spider-Man then walks to the nearest open cell. It would seem like only one prisoner was smart enough to stay in his cell tonight. That prisoner is Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. Kingpin. He just sat in his cell, peacefully eating his steak and vegetables. Fisk sees Spider-Man, but he doesn't attack. The big guy just continues to enjoy his meal. Spider-Man is relieved by this. He really didn't want to fight tonight, but he had to because it's necessary.

"Expecting aliens, boy?" Fisk started.

"Ha, funny," Spider-Man replied sarcastically. "Enjoying your steak, Willy? Maybe you should cut down on the meat. Do some sit-ups at the gym... oh, wait. The Raft doesn't have a gym. I still advise working out, though. Now that you're too busy in prison to be busy, there's nothing to do but lose a couple... hundred... pounds."

"Do not be mistaken, child. I do intend to liberate myself from here, but this breakout is not the way," said Fisk.

"Ah, I get it. You wanna get out legally. That way, you get your charges dropped and you can get back to doing your so-called legitimate business with a _clean_ sheet," Spider-Man guessed. "Well, don't count on it, Willy. You're not getting out of here. Ever. I may have brought the bad guys you kept in check out of hiding, but this city is safer with you behind bars."

"Tell that to the grieving families who were lost at the City Hall Bombing," Fisk replied.

"Everyone in this city but Jameson agrees that you belong here," said Spider-Man. "You can try to justify your crimes, but no one wants you back. Enjoy your stake, Willy."

Spider Sense! Too late. Spider-Man gets hit by a shock blast, courtesy of Herman Schultz, a.k.a. Shocker. Instead of waiting for Spider-Man to get back up like an imbecile, Shocker jumps high and prepares to unleash and shock-powered ground pound. Spider-Man, fortunately, jumps out of the way.

"Hey, Herman," Spider-Man greeted. "Look, I know you love our little dance numbers, but you don't seem the type to just fight me as a first option."

"I'll never get out of here as long as you're here," said Shocker. "Buried alive or dead, you're going down."

Spider-Man summons another pod as he dodges Shocker's next three shock blasts. Shocker charges up his gauntlets and unleashes a huge shockwave, hurting Spider-Man and ruining Fisk's dinner.

"Sorry, Willy!" Spider-Man apologized humorously.

Shocker lands five successful shock-powered punches to Spider-Man's face, chest, and stomach. He charges up his right gauntlet and punches Spider-Man so hard, he crashes through a wall.

"I didn't want to do this, but you're never gonna stop coming after me," said Shocker.

"Wow, that's... ow... actually very nice of you to say," Spider-Man joked.

To Shocker's shock (sorry, not sorry), two pods come flying in and hit him in the head. The first pod removes the Iron Spider suit from Spider-Man, while the second pod dresses him in his Velocity Suit. Activating the suit's high-speed power, Spider-Man super-speeds towards Shocker and shoulder-bumps him to the next room. Shocker fires shock blast after shock blast, but the Velocity Suit makes dodging easier for Spider-Man. He even ran on the walls at high speed, weaving left and right with no problem.

"Too slow, Herman," Spider-Man taunted.

Spider-Man jumps off the wall and lands in front of Herman. He punches Herman in the face, runs behind him for a punch to the back of the head, speeds to left and right for punches to the face and back, and runs circles for a big-time punch to knock him down. Spider-Man uses Electric Webs to short out Shocker's gauntlets before webbing him down to the floor.

"Man, super speed is awesome. Imagine if I can run as fast as Quicksilver," Spider-Man imagined.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Silver Sable finally arrived at The Raft, via her personal hovercraft. She jumps off her aerial vehicle in a swan dive position, activates her jetpack after a few seconds of free fall, and shoots three prisoners with her energy pistols as she makes a stylish and graceful landing.

"Queen of Making Entrances, he said," Silver commented, remembering Spider-Man's nickname for her. "Perhaps I was never aware of my own vanity until now."

A dozen prisoners see Silver and charge at her, armed with batons and small broken pipes. Silver keeps her fingers on the triggers as she prepares for a fight full of quick moves... on her end.

"I know I should not move inordinately at this stage, but I cannot afford to compromise," Silver said to herself, referring to her baby's effect on her mobility.

Silver starts with a stun grenade, which shocks and immobilizes half the incoming army. The half that weren't caught in the grenade's blast continued to run towards her with no care of the others.

"Criminals. No sense of honor, or common sense whatsoever," Silver commented.

Silver starts running towards the small band of prisoners as she fires her pistols. She gets clear shots at five prisoners, killing or incapacitating them. She dodges Prisoner #6's pipe swing by sliding to the right before shooting him straight through the heart, all the while lying down.

The grenade's effects on the other six wore off. They quickly continued what they started, charging at the Symkarian princess.

"Primitives," Silver insulted stoically.

Silver activates one of her shields as she charges at the prisoners herself. She jumps off the wall and whacks Prisoner #7 across the face with her shield. She quickly knocks out Prisoner #8 with a roundhouse kick to the head. She dodges Prisoners #9 and #10, causing them to hit each other with their batons. Silver stands on one hand and kicks Prisoner #11 in the face before knocking him out with a jumping spin kick. Prisoner #12 - a brute - grabs her and tries to squeeze her to death. She severely scratches his big arms with her shields, forcing him to release her. She punches the brute in the face twice before using his shoulders as a boost. While upside-down in mid-air, she shoots the brute in the back, killing him as she makes yet another stylish landing.

But then her stomach started to hurt.

"I cannot keep doing this," she said to herself.

She then heard screaming. Flying towards her direction is a black-suited vigilante. It was Kid Arachnid, looking like he had just been thrown by The Hulk. The young hero crash-landed near the princess. He seemed hurt. He was holding his leg. There was a bleeding wound on it.

"Hey," Kid Arachnid greeted, in spite of the pain.

"Aleksei?" Silver guessed.

Kid Arachnid nodded no.

"Marko?" Silver guessed again.

Kid Arachnid nodded no.

"Wraith," he said.

Out of the shadows (since there's barely any power inside) comes Wraith. With only one energy whip in her hand, she was clearly far from done with this fight.

"I noticed you've made upgrades to my weapons," said Silver.

"Well, you do have the best toys," Wraith complimented. "Here's one from one of the inmates."

Wraith throws one of her gas grenades at Silver. The princess kicks it out of the nearest hole on the wall as Wraith rushes towards her. Silver dodges Wraith's whip attacks as she throws a stun grenade at the vigilante. Wraith smacks the grenade aside before it explodes and fights the princess up-close.

As for Kid Arachnid, he was trying to get back up, only to be distracted by something he sees outside through a hole in the wall. Something in the air. Something flying.

"Is that..." He wondered.

Wraith throws as many kicks as fast as she can, but Silver was quick to block and dodge. Silver lands two hard kicks to Wraith's torso before spin-kicking her in the mask, knocking her down. Silver goes for a deadly axe kick while Wraith is down, but she uses both her arms to block the kick.

Wraith trips Silver and gets back up. The two women point guns at each other.

"You've come so far, haven't you... Ms. Watanabe," said Silver.

"Of course Spider-Man would tell you," said Wraith.

"I would know regardless. Hammerhead met a brutal demise, so did his minions. Only someone with such a grudge against him would do such heinous acts," said Silver.

"And you haven't told on me, why?" asked Wraith.

"I had to find you first. And now, I have," said Silver.

"Spider Sense tingling," Kid Arachnid said.

A metallic sound forced the two women to turn their heads elsewhere. Out of the corner, a black, metal tentacle shows itself. Along with another.

"Damn," Silver, Wraith, and Kid Arachnid cursed at the same time.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man had just rescued another guard, who was about to fall off a three-story drop. After that, he contacted Kid Arachnid. Unfortunately, the sidekick sounded in distress, just before the call was cut off. Knowing this can't mean anything good, he starts swinging to look for his young protege. But...

He is hit mid-swing by a beam of negative energy.

And Spider-Man just so happened to crash and fall right in front of the guilty party.

"Martin Li," Spider-Man grunted in pain.

"Nice to see you again... Peter," said Mister Negative.

Underneath the mask, Spider-Man's eyes and mouth were opened wide, shocked by what he just heard.

"You knew?" asked Spider-Man.

"You pretty much gave me the answer yourself," said Mister Negative. "The auction house fiasco. Coming to me with one of my masks. Snooping around F.E.A.S.T.'s storage room, which just so happened to be underneath my private room. The way you looked at me while talking about the City Hall Bombing. Besides, why would Spider-Man talk to me like he knew me? Unless, of course, the man beneath the mask did know who me, at least, the positive side of me."

"And you still tried to kill me?" Spider-Man growled angrily.

"You know my secrets, Peter. The Demon seeks to punish those who seek to control it, to control me," said Mister Negative. "I never wanted you and May to get hurt, but you forced my hand."

"Do you even regret what happened to her?" Spider-Man asked angrily.

"Of course I did!" Mister Negative answered, his voice booming with rage and grief. "Your aunt was one of the best people in the world, Peter. This city needed her. She did not deserve to be a victim. I won't deny my part in her demise, but do not assume I was not affected by it."

"Then don't escape, Martin," Spider-Man begged. "If you truly have regrets, then don't pursue vengeance again."

"Sorry, Peter, but Osborn has yet to pay for his sins," said Mister Negative. "And I can't let you get in my way."

Mister Negative grabs Spider-Man by the throat and tries to infect him with his negative energy. Spider-Man tries fighting back, to little avail. Just before he was about to go on another into-his-own-mind journey with Mister Negative, someone hit the former F.E.A.S.T. manager with a glowing whip.

It was Tombstone, who was finally awake. He was using one of Wraith's whips, which she left in the infirmary due to her fight with Kid Arachnid.

"Consider that your change for the APC," Tombstone joked.

"Lonnie? You're awake," Spider-Man said happily.

"Nobody kills you but me," said Tombstone.

"Well, that's sweet," Spider-Man replied half-sarcastically. "So, uh, where did you get the whip? Did Wraith try to kill you again?"

"I could hear your protege's voice before I woke up. I'm guessing he's dealing with her now," said Tombstone.

"Hey, look, I know you're a criminal and all, but can you maybe help me contain this breakout?" asked Spider-Man. "I mean, I can put in a good word, help take years off your sentence. You can see your daughter again."

"Aren't you the generous kind?" Tombstone replied, flattered.

Spider-Man's Spider Sense goes off. Mister Negative was charging up and about to fire. Spider-Man pushes Tombstone out of the way before jumping out of the way himself, avoiding the negative energy beam. Mister Negative draws his sword and powers it with negative energy. He charges at Spider-Man with speed to smite him, but the web-slinger barely dodges his blade. Spider-Man webs Mister Negative in the face before landing a couple punches, only to get knocked back by a burst of negative energy. Mister Negative jumps and slams his sword to the ground, unleashing a negative shockwave that hits Spider-Man.

Mister Negative goes for a leaping strike, but Spider-Man tumbles out of the way. He kicks Mister Negative in the chest and face three times with great speed, following it with a two-footed kick off a handstand spring. He then tries to wrestle the sword away from Mister Negative with his webs.

"If you truly did care about May, then you know she would be disappointed in you," said Spider-Man.

"Osborn did this to me, Peter. I want to escape it, but I can't," said Mister Negative.

Tombstone interrupts the fight by punching Mister Negative, knocking him down. Mister Negative counters with a very powerful negative energy blast that sends Tombstone flying. That blast drained Mister Negative. Fortunately, one of his mind-controlled guards came. He absorbs the negative energy from the guard, strengthening himself.

"You mind-controlled the guards. That's how you set this all up?" Spider-Man guessed.

"You should know better to underestimate me, Peter," said Mister Negative.

Spider-Man goes for a Web Strike, only to get a negatively charged kick to the stomach. Mister Negative turns his attention to Tombstone, who was struggling to get up. Picking up Wraith's whip, Mister Negative uses it to strangle Tombstone. Curious to know what the button on the whip's handle does, Mister Negative presses it. The whip starts electrifying Tombstone, hurting him to the point where he screams.

"Lonnie!" Spider-Man shouted with worry.

Spider-Man launches himself towards Mister Negative with two web lines and kicks him down, making him drop the whip and releasing Tombstone. Unfortunately, the buff drug dealer faints to unconsciousness. Fortunately, he's still alive.

As if things can't get any worse, Wraith comes flying in like The Hulk threw her from the other side of the prison. Seeing her missing whip nearby, she quickly grabs it. That's when she noticed Tombstone.

"Oh, c'mon. Wraith?! Can things get any worse?" Spider-Man complained.

Indeed, it did. Beetle had just shown up, flying in from one of the holes in the roof. She sees Wraith with her whip, and she sees her unconscious father. She approaches him and sees the burn marks on his neck. That can only mean one thing. Glaring at the purple-suited killer with vengeance, Beetle made it clear what she was about to.

"That was not me," said Wraith.

"LIAR!" Beetle shouted.

Beetle zooms towards Wraith and tackles her into the next room, leaving Spider-Man alone with Mister Negative, who was clearly not done fighting as he picked up his sword.

"Martin, please, stop! Too many people have died from your actions. You can't keep staining your own name," Spider-Man pleaded.

"Don't worry. The only life I'll be taking is Osborn's," said Mister Negative.

"HIS LIFE IS MINE TO TAKE!"

That shout came from none another than a certain mad scientist who walked into the room with four hi-tech tentacles attached to his back. Two of those tentacles held hostages. Silver Sable and Kid Arachnid.

"Otto Octavius?!" Spider-Man exclaimed with worry and fear.

"Hello, Spider-Man," Doctor Octopus greeted with scorn. "Or should I say, Peter Parker?"

"I already knew, Octavius," said Mister Negative.

"Well, it doesn't matter. If anyone is going to make Osborn pay, it's gonna be me!" Doctor Octopus said angrily.

"Let my friends go, Otto. This is between you and me," Spider-Man begged.

"You chose to lock me up instead of helping me, Peter. For that, you'll pay!" Doctor Octopus shouted.

Doctor Octopus throws Silver and Kid Arachnid at Spider-Man. He manages to save them from hard landing, only to get grabbed by one of Doctor Octopus' nasty tentacles and thrown across the room.

"Ms. Sable, I presume," Mister Negative greeted formally.

"Mr. Li," Silver greeted back.

"We're not gonna fight now, are we?" asked Kid Arachnid.

"That depends. You let me leave, and I'll spare you," said Mister Negative.

"Not happening," said Silver Sable.

"In that case, we have a disagreement," said Mister Negative, holding his sword threateningly.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Beetle flies out of The Raft with Wraith still in her grasp. No matter how many times Wraith pounded her fist on Beetle's helmet, the winged vigilante won't let up. Instead of attacking the armored vigilante, Wraith grabs one of her whips and uses its energy to short-circuit Beetle's wing pack... again (this time, it's on purpose). This causes Beetle to lose control of her flight and the two crash on a rooftop at Ryker's Island.

Despite the crash-landing, Beetle won't stop fighting. She punches Wraith as hard as she can before delivering a deadly uppercut that knocks her opponent close to the edge of the roof. Wraith grabs her whips, but Beetle grabs her hands before she could activate them. Squeezing as hard as she can, using her super strength, Beetle crushes Wraith's hands, causing her to scream in pain.

Beetle throws Wraith to the very center of the roof. Wraith can barely get up, what with her hands half-crushed by Beetle's sheer strength.

"My father just got out of a coma, and you choose that time to attack him?!" Beetle shouted.

"I did not attack your father," Wraith insisted.

"Why should I believe you? You kill the likes of him, don't you?" Beetle responded, refusing to listen to Wraith.

"Don't make me hurt you, kid," Wraith warned carefully. "Besides, you have an even bigger problem. Kid Arachnid. You're close with him, aren't you? Well, he's in a facility filled with criminals and monsters. You really want to leave him behind in pursuit of vengeance?"

"Don't try to talk your way out of getting what you deserve!" Beetle shouted.

Beetle grabs Wraith by the neck and punches her over and over and over again, as hard as she can. After what seemed like a dozen punches, Beetle was about to pull off the mask when...

Miles called.

 _"Jan! I know you're here! Listen, I need help here!" Kid Arachnid shouted, panicked and tired. "Spider-Man is too busy with Octavius. Sable and I are barely holding our own against Li. We need three heads against one here. Jan, please... AAAAAAGGGHHH!"_

Beetle wrestles with the choice of killing Wraith or helping Kid Arachnid. That screaming before the call ended, he was clearly in pain. Just because she broke up with him, does that mean she has to ignore him and leave him to die?

Beetle lets Wraith go and flies back to The Raft.

Wraith, meanwhile, regains consciousness a while later and takes off the mask. She didn't need a mirror to know how bad it is. Her face is badly bruised and bleeding. She was lucky Beetle hasn't crushed her skull.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man's battle with Doctor Octopus leads them to the very same roof where the Sinister Six ganged up on him one year ago. He remembers that moment all too well. Outnumbered, outmatched, and fifteen broken bones. Well, this time, it's just him and Doctor Octopus. But he was being even more merciless this time. While there was a small part of Doctor Octopus holding back the last time they fought, he doesn't seem to be holding back this time.

"Nowhere to run, Parker," said Doctor Octopus.

"I don't have to run. I'd rather talk to you," said Spider-Man.

"There's nothing you can say to change my mind!" Doctor Octopus said loudly and angrily.

"I lost Aunt May because of you!" Spider-Man shouted back. "She was a victim of Devil's Breath, a virus that you unleashed on the city, and she didn't make it! But I chose not to blame you. I blamed myself, because I helped you create those arms. But now I'm beginning to see that the neural interface only gave you the guts to turn the dark thoughts you've always had into reality."

Doctor Octopus laughs and says, "And I though this is the part where you tell me that this isn't me."

"Mostly," said Spider-Man. "I gave you a chance, Dr. Octavius. To serve out your sentence and think about what you've done. Now, I see that you don't need the neural interface to be like this."

"So, you've given up trying to save me?" asked Doctor Octopus.

"No," said Spider-Man. "I'm just not letting my emotions get in the way this time. Not with you. Not anymore."

"Bold, but pathetic," said Doctor Octopus.

Doctor Octopus sends one of his tentacles towards Spider-Man, only for that tentacle to get hit by an incoming pod. This was followed by a second pod hitting him in the head. The first pod gets rid of the Velocity Suit, and the second put puts Spider-Man in another suit. The Anti-Ock Suit. He never thought he'd have to need it again, but he kept it and repaired it just because.

"I never got to express my astonishment for your little creation, Peter," said Doctor Octopus. "Using the materials that made my arms and turning them into a suit that can match me, I knew I hired the right assistant."

"Now let me show you why I beat you last time," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man dodges one of Doctor Octopus' tentacles, leaps off the radio tower, and strikes Doctor Octopus in his mortal body. Doctor Octopus uses his tentacles to keep himself standing and starts tearing the radio tower apart. He uses whatever he ripped off as a weapon to bash Spider-Man with. Spider-Man fires a Trip Mine at Doctor Octopus, webbing him face-first to the ground. Spider-Man secures the collapsed radio tower with well-placed webbing. Thanks to the Anti-Ock Suit, his Web Shooter recharged immediately.

Doctor Octopus rips the webbing off of his body with his tentacles and starts unleashing them on the young superhero as fast as he can. Spider-Man dodges the tentacles in many ways, be it side-stepping, jumping left and right, leaping high, ducking, sliding under, and flipping in the air. Doctor Octopus manages to finally grab Spider-Man with one of his tentacles and starts squeezing, only for Spider-Man to web him in the face. Spider-Man uses Impact Web to web two of Doctor Octopus' tentacles to the lower half of the radio tower (which Doc Ock hasn't torn off... yet). The web-slinger then jumps on Doc Ock's back and tries to rip out the neural interface to cut off Octavius' link to the arms. Doctor Octopus, however, grabs him with one of his free tentacles and slams him around like a rag doll.

"You know what Osborn has done! Why do you still defend him?!" Doctor Octopus shouted.

"Because protecting him from you is the lesser of two evils," Spider-Man answered.

This time, Spider-Man webs Doctor Octopus' physical body, from head to toe. He used up almost all of his web fluid, but the suit's special function helped with rapid refilling. Since he can't see, Doctor Octopus doesn't know where to strike with his tentacles, causing him to wander aimlessly off the rooftop.

Spider-Man dives off the roof, web-swings towards Doctor Octopus, and kicks him to the side of the structure. He uses Impact Web to glue him there, along with his arms. After that, Spider-Man rips out the neural interface from the back of his neck, rendering the arms useless.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Octavius, but I can't let you leave, no matter what," said Spider-Man. "You're done ruining lives just for revenge."

"You do not even know what's happening," said Doctor Octopus.

"What are you talking about?" asked Spider-Man.

"Fisk planned this breakout. I heard chatter from the guards he paid off," Doctor Octopus said. "At exactly midnight, they're gonna blow up The Raft, along with everyone who is in it."

"That's fifteen minutes away," Spider-Man realized.

"So, are you gonna help me get out or are you gonna leave me to die?" asked Doctor Octopus.

"I'm gonna save everyone," said Spider-Man.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Silver Sable uses her combat training against Mister Negative, punching and kicking him as fast and as smart as she can be. She blocks his palm strike, kicks him in the stomach, dodges his blade, spin-kicks him in the head, dodges his negatively-charged punches, and knocks him down with a spinning axe kick to the top of his head. Mister Negative stands up and palm-strikes Silver in the stomach, only to hurt his own hand. Hitting her stomach felt like hitting reinforced steel.

"Preparation. Always vital," Silver explained without giving away her secret.

Unfortunately, one burst of negative energy from Mister Negative is enough to knock her down for a long time.

Kid Arachnid, meanwhile, was lying down on the ground with a bleeding cut on his abdomen, courtesy of Mister Negative's sword. After covering the wound with webbing, the younger spider hero gets up and continues fighting. He throws some punches, but Mister Negative blocks and dodges them with no effort. The wound was still slowing Kid Arachnid down. He goes for a high kick, but Mister Negative blocks that as well. One negatively-charged palm strike to the chest knocks down the black-suited hero.

"Peter should choose his sidekicks wisely," Mister Negative insulted.

"He chose me for a reason, Li. I wouldn't expect you to understand," said Kid Arachnid.

"Of course there's a reason... Miles Morales," Mister Negative knew. "I heard you started working for F.E.A.S.T., and that it was Peter who got you the job. Both of you, both orphans, both looking for purpose after losing a father figure, it only makes sense why he would trust you to fight by his side. Unfortunately, you're gonna be seeing your father very soon."

Just as Mister Negative was about to finish Kid Arachnid, something in him made him hesitate. He can feel his own will overpowering The Demon's, but only for a brief second. Fortunately for Kid Arachnid, Beetle swoops in and shoulder-bumps Mister Negative three dozen feet away from her ex-boyfriend.

"Stay away from him," Beetle growled.

"You came," Kid Arachnid said happily.

"Just help me get my father out of here," said Beetle.

 _"Miles!" Spider-Man called, via comm-link. "Li and the Demons have The Raft set to blow. You have to get everyone out of there!"_

"We got extra trouble," Kid Arachnid said to his ex-girlfriend.

"Trouble for the city. Li is gone," Silver reported.

Kid Arachnid and Beetle look at where Mister Negative lied a few seconds ago. He had just vanished with no trace of where he ran off to.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man was about to look for Rhino, only to get tackled out of the air by someone in red and yellow. It was her again. The mysterious Spider-Woman. She appears to fire something electric out of her wrist and it shocks him. The Anti-Ock Suit's material made him a bit more resistant, but the brief "shock" gave Spider-Woman the window to kick him down with force.

"You again?!" Spider-Man complained.

"Yeah, me again," said Spider-Woman. "Nice suit, by the way. Everyone looks good in black, don't they. Maybe I'll take it off you and make it my own."

Spider-Man gets back on his feet and jumps high to avoid Spider-Woman next Electric Web shot.

"You like?" Spider-Woman bragged, referring to her own web shooter. "I have your sidekick's gift as well. Bioelectric manipulation. Fascinating, isn't it? All I need was a way to control it. Now, I do."

"Electrifying discovery," Spider-Man quipped.

"Oh, I can do more than just shoot simple electro-shocks," said Spider-Woman.

Spider-Woman accesses the other function of her web-shooter, which is turning her own bio-electricity into a whip-like weapon.

"Great. Another woman with a thing for whips. Just what a Spider-Man needs," Spider-Man complained.

Spider-Woman shows off by whipping the floor left and right before going for a whip attack at Spider-Man. The web-slinger dodges the whip attack, if barely, and then fires a web line at Spider-Woman. He pulls her closer, slides on the floor, and double-kicks her in the stomach, sending her flying a dozen feet high in the air. She, however, lands safely. Cranking up the web shooter's function, she whips the floor again, but the bio-electric whip unleashes an electric shockwave that shocks Spider-Man. She springs herself towards him, wraps her whip around his mid-section, and slams him to the nearest wall. She goes for overkill and slams his face to the wall again, this time with her boot.

"I may have only been doing this spider powers gig for a short time, but I have more experience than you," said Spider-Woman.

"In the superhero business, experience doesn't mean everything," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man fires a Web Bomb a few feet behind Spider-Woman and the detonation webs them both. Being covered in less webs, Spider-Man breaks out easily and webs Spider-Woman's left boot. He leaps high, dragging her with him, swings over and then under a damaged beam, and then kicks her to the next room. As she escaped his webbing, Spider-Man quickly sucker-punches her before landing two spin kicks to knock her down. Not giving her time to get back up, he fires a Suspension Matrix that suspends her in mid-air.

The aerial combat between the two was evenly-matched. Spider-Woman quickly adjusts to the suspension effect and blocks Spider-Man's attack. Being the quick-witted superhero he is, Spider-Man uses Web Strike to kick her down to the ground.

"Nine years on the job, and I've fought a lot of tough customers, even those who are supposed to beat me easily," said Spider-Man. "The thing about me, I learn."

"So do I," said Spider-Woman.

Spider-Woman amplifies her web shooter's power again and punches the ground, sending an even bigger shockwave that electrifies Spider-Man even longer than the last one. Just as she was about to attack with an electric construct that looks like a knife, someone swings out of nowhere and kicks the new spider-themed vigilante away from the original.

It was Black Cat.

"Felicia?" Spider-Man was definitely surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Black Cat already had a lie in mind. "I thought you could use some help," she said.

"So, you came here just for me, not to help innocent people," Spider-Man surmised bluntly.

"I'll help them if you ask me to," Black Cat teased.

"Well, you might wanna get out," said Spider-Man.

"Rude much, Spider?" Black Cat scolded.

"No, Li is about to blow up this entire prison. We have to get everyone out of here. Everyone," said Spider-Man.

Suddenly, Spider-Man and Black Cat get hit by two electric blasts, courtesy of Spider-Woman. Instead of capturing or killing them both, she chooses to leave.

"Guess the blowing-up news alarmed her," Black Cat guessed.

"Hey, you!"

One prisoner seeks Spider-Man and quickly approaches him with the lead pipe he holds as a weapon. Spider-Man and Black Cat stand casually, just waiting for him to come after them like the idiot he is presenting himself as with the ridiculous battle cry.

Unexpectedly, Rhino comes charging in and stands in the way of the prisoner. The prisoner gulps with fear as Rhino growls in front of his face.

"Uh, nice suit?" The prisoner said nervously.

Rhino responds by punching the prisoner in the face, knocking him out.

"Uh, thank you," Spider-Man said.

"Gooey liquid worked," Rhino reported. "One plate removed from armor."

Rhino gestured to his left bicep, which was a bit more exposed because one plate was indeed removed.

"I knew it would work," Spider-Man cheered.

"You said you have more," said Rhino.

"I do," said Spider-Man. "And I'll give the rest if you don't escape."

"Not a nice deal," said Rhino.

"No, but you're still a criminal, Rhino," said Spider-Man. "On the bright side, you'll finally be out of that suit. Isn't that all you want?"

"I suppose so," said Rhino.

"Wow, trying to redeem another criminal, huh, Spider? You are such a cinnamon roll," Black Cat said flirtatiously, stroking his cloth-covered nose.

"Do not be kissing in front of me, pauk," said Rhino.

"Oh, that's not happening, Rhino. She and I are not a thing," said Spider-Man.

"You sure your girlfriend won't mind sharing?" Black Cat teased.

Spider-Man facepalmed.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Manhattan, two thugs and a brute were robbing a businesswoman. She was on the ground and the thugs were threatening to beat her with a crowbar if she doesn't give up her purse.

"One more time, lady. Hand over the purse and we'll leave," said Thug #1.

"Hey, leave her alone!"

The thugs and the businesswoman turn their heads to look at who just shouted. They see a woman in a White Spider hoodie, fingerless gloves, and a Spider-Man mask that was probably bought from a costume store.

"There is already a Spider-Woman, lady. I guess that makes you the Spectacular Spider-Girl," Thug #2 mocked.

"You asked for it," the masked woman said. "Ma'am, get behind the crate next to you. Trust me, this is gonna be ugly."

The masked woman's hands suddenly start glowing. She raises both arms higher and then pushes her hands forward, unleashing a wave of negative energy at the three thugs, hurting them badly and knocking them out cold. Fortunately, the businesswoman was unharmed, as she hid behind the nearest crate, which was partially damaged from the blast. When she peered around the crate to see if the masked woman was still there...

She was gone.

But then an explosion from The Raft caught all of New York's attention. One explosion at a time, The Raft crumbles. Even Wraith can see the damage from Ryker's. The supermax prison designed to hold the worst of New York's underworld... gone.

Question is, who survived and who didn't?

* * *

 _"This is Just the Facts with me, the most reasonable person in the fair city of New York, J. Jonah Jameson," Jameson said as he started his latest podcast episode. "Today is a catastrophe, folks. The Raft, the maximum security prison designed to house super-powered lunatics that threaten our beautiful city, has been destroyed. No one knows the reasons behind the how, but the how is obvious. Explosions. BOOM-BOOM-BOOM! EXPLOSIONS, PEOPLE! So far, casualties of both the innocent and the guilty have been confirmed, although the number of casualties has not been reported. Thoughts and prayers to the innocent caught in the explosion. Worst thing is... THOSE SUPER-POWERED LUNATICS I MENTIONED ARE FREE ONCE AGAIN! FREE TO DESTROY OUR CITY!"_

Wilson Fisk is currently being escorted to his cell in Ryker's Island, which is where he'll be held since The Raft is clearly no longer available. As usual, he takes this in strides.

 _Jameson started enumerating. "Doctor Octopus! Mister Negative! Scorpion! Electro! Vulture! Shocker! The Lizard! Mysterio! Mr. Bee Nazi! Rhino... oh, wait, I forgot. Rhino didn't escape. He's in Ryker's. BUT YOU GET THE POINT! Dangerous criminals are on the loose on our fair city, plotting who knows what, hurting who knows who, scheming that knows when... okay, losing my vocabulary there for a second. While we don't know who to blame for this escape, but we do know who to blame for failing to stop it. SPIDER-MAN!"_

Peter returns to Stark Tower's secret lab to sulk about his failure and to let Jameson's podcast hit him hard.

 _"Oh, and apparently, he got help from other lawbreakers of the law... breakers of the law... lawbreakers... never mind!" Jameson continued rambling, too angry to construct his words and sentences correctly._

Miles arrives at Janice's apartment and knocks on the door, desperately waiting for her to answer. Mrs. Connolly answered and said that Janice is not here.

 _"... that devilish feline the Black Cat..."_

Black Cat, in her new apartment, had just received a text message from Ophelia Sarkissan, telling her that she did a terrible job doing recon at The Raft.

 _"... that international menace of a mercenary Silver Sable..."_

Back at the Symkaria Embassy, Silver lies down on her bed, feeling exhausted from all the fighting and the physical toll of too much mobility while pregnant.

 _"... the killer-killing killer Wraith..."_

Yuri pounds a table in frustration over her failure to contain the situation at The Raft, as the number of escapees are much higher than the number of failed escapees.

 _"... that winged pest Beetle..."_

Janice, still in her Beetle suit but with the helmet off, visits her injured father Tombstone in the hospital, where she had to incapacitate security just for a visit.

 _"... and the new spider in town Spider-Woman."_

Jessica is waiting outside the mayor's office, waiting for a scolding from her "mother" Ophelia over her failure to stop the chaos at The Raft.

 _"And in unrelated news, there is now this woman wearing a Spider-Man mask, who seems to possess the same powers as Martin Li..."_

The masked woman who saved the businesswoman earlier returned to her apartment and takes off her mask as she listens to the podcast. The new super-powered vigilante is Mary Jane Watson, who decided to use her powers to help that poor woman since there were no cops or heroes nearby to help. The mask is so no one would know it was her. She had to take a second dose of Dr. Michaels' medicine out of fear that her recent action would worsen her condition.

 _"But back to the important topic," said Jameson. "With those psychopathic criminals out on the streets, none of us are safe. It's like Devil's Breath all over again, except there's no disease this time. That doesn't mean this is less worse. Think of the death and destruction that will come in the following days caused by these super-powered freaks, all because a certain webhead can't get it through his head that this city does not need him. YOU HEAR THAT, SPIDER-MAN?! You have once again turned New York into a f****** war zone!"_

Thank goodness for Jared, who saw that curse word coming a mile away and censored it.

 _"For those who are now planning on leaving New York to get away from the incoming chaos, I don't blame you. Go on. Save yourselves," said Jameson. "But as for me, I am staying right here. In the city that I love. Speaking the truth for all to hear and showing these criminals that I AM NOT AFRAID! I would tell all of you to not be afraid as well, but fear wakes you up to the danger and that is just fine. Protect your loved ones, folks. Hold them tight and do whatever you can to protect them. Once again, New York is at war. So, thank you a lot for that, Spider-Man."_

 **To think, I thought jumping right into the action - starting the chapter off with the breakout itself - would help me shorten the length of this chapter. Turns out I was wrong. There was so much action that I wanted to include here that you just read over 10,000 words worth of what I promised since Chapter 15. The Raft Breakout has passed... and it's not looking pretty.**

 **The current date in the timeline is early November 2019 in this story, and the reason I'm telling you this is that I am time-jumping to December in the next chapter. I wanna get to the Christmas part as soon as possible. This story is getting too crazy even for me.**

 **So, what do you think of the chapter? Don't be afraid to give me your full, honest opinion.**


	38. Taking a Turn for the Negative

**I'm sorry that I've been gone from this story for over a month (I did say I was gonna do a one-month time jump in this story, but I didn't expect to be absent IRL from this story for a month LOL). It's just so, so, so difficult trying to keep up with all my promises. The Raft Breakout is done, but the plot surrounding the breakout is far from over. If my life doesn't become demanding in the future and I'm willing to see this story to the very end, it'll take me until 2021 or 2023 to finish all the plots I've teased (Doctor Doom and HYDRA, for example). It's just that this story was a lot more fun when I was just having simple fun (Peter training Miles, Silver kissing Spidey regularly, Spider-Cop, Agent MJ, etc.)... but now I went bigger and there's no turning back.**

 **As I've mentioned in the previous chapter, the chapter you're reading now takes place one month after the previous chapter, which makes it December 2019 in this story's timeline. Considering how tight my schedule is and how many storylines I'm juggling in this Spider-Man FanFic, I thought I'd go all in. But only the best way I can.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: Knox, rex1297, I.D.'s Fantasy, roxasduelwielder, K2-Black-Panther, Bismarck Alexander, Heinkelboy05, Guest(s), God Awful**

 ** _To Knox_: Hakuna Matata!**

 ** _ANOTHER reply to Knox_: This isn't the MCU. And while I make MCU references (such as Tony Stark gifting Peter a hi-tech suit when he was younger), I think you need to read Chapter 26 again. Ned Leeds in this story is Kamala Khan's best friend, not Peter's. Besides, PS4's Spidey universe already featured the famous Peter-MJ-Harry trio.**

 ** _To I.D. Fantasy_: Well, Tombstone doesn't know the last name of "Peter" but I guess even knowing a part of Spider-Man's true name helps.**

 ** _To roxasduelwielder_: The start of Sable's pregnancy is August 2019, so that means the baby is due May 2020. I'll do another time jump to get there, if I have to. But first, I have to continue the Raft Breakout storyline and the Green Goblin storyline.**

 _ **To**_ ** _Bismarck Alexander_ : Okay, I can understand your feelings towards prison breaks. But the breakout ****was always part of my plan after the DLC storyline. It just had to be delayed due to me adding Hydra, A.I.M., and Latveria to the mix. Also, about the running gag, I meant that even if I stop ship-teasing Spidey/Silver and Spidey/Yuri, Black Cat is still gonna flirt with him, of course.**

 ** _To TBONE_: MJ's parts in Chapters 30, 32, 34, and 36 will enlighten you. In case you forgot, MJ was corrupted by Li's powers. But what he did to her was worse. Even though head trauma snapped her out of the mind control, Li's negative energy remains in her. It threatens to take over her, not only corrupting her mind but allowing her to wield the power like Li does.**

 ** _To SHAZAM_: Yes, I did.**

 _ **To Guest (talking about the Avengers)**_ **: I've made it clear a million times - exaggeration intended - that I will not include the Avengers as a major part in this story. Since the beginning, my goal has been to keep this story focused on the Main Six (Peter, MJ, Miles, Yuri, Silver, and Felicia), and that will not change. Besides, I already gave a reason why the Avengers are too busy to come back to New York. They're busy dealing with Flag Smasher and searching the rest of the world for HYDRA remnants.**

 ** _To Guest (talking about Gwen Stacy)_: Honestly, any more mentions of Gwen Stacy and I might just really be tempted to include her, ONLY if it means the Gwen Stacy requests will stop... just give me a break, please.**

 ** _To Guest_ (about Martin Li's feelings about Aunt May's death): If that letter he wrote to May implies that he truly cares about her, surely there's a part of him that grieves for her death.**

 ** _To Jack_: Um, I'm sorry, I guess.**

 ** _To CG_: Can the two games even be in the same universe when they're developed by different companies? Square Enix managed the Avengers, while Insomniac managed Spider-Man. I really don't know.**

 ** _To Guest (talking about Far From Home)_: I haven't seen Far From Home yet.**

Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid arrive at a warehouse that was already converted into a crime scene. Commissioner Drew is not there, but Detective DeWolff is, which means the two heroes are welcome to stick around until the Commissioner eventually comes. To his horror, he and the police found a dozen dead Demons scattered all over the place. Puddles of blood. Cracked masks. Bruises of painful proportion. And the worst part, the purple streamers. That can only mean that the Wraith is the one who murdered all these Demons. She left one Demon alive, though, but injured.

"Twelve Demons. Thirteen guns on the floor. A blood trail leading to the backdoor," DeWolff reported. "Either one of the Demons needed to grab another gun or one of them managed to get away."

"At least this one's still alive," Spider-Man said, referring to the injured but breathing Demon. "According to the file that Wraith left, this guy has a wife and a brother."

"I see even the Wraith sets her own boundaries," said DeWolff.

"Still, she didn't have to kill anyone," said Spider-Man. "Not all the Demons are Chinese criminals. Some of them are just innocents that Li corrupted."

"If this poor fella here is a clear message, she doesn't care if they're innocent or guilty. If you're corrupted, then it's the death sentence for you, unless you have a family," said Kid Arachnid.

"God, I never thought Yuri would ever sink like this," said DeWolff.

"Yeah... wait, what?" Spider-Man exclaimed, shocked.

"You know that Wraith is..." Kid Arachnid trailed off, shocked as well.

"That Yuri is the Wraith, yes," DeWolff said quietly, making sure none of the other cops heard. "I've known Yuri for a long time. Only someone with such a grudge against Hammerhead would do what she did to him and his goons."

"It's starting to seem very obvious, but no one else in the force knows," said Kid Arachnid.

"Why are you two hiding it from us?" DeWolff asked. "You both know who she is. Telling the police her identity would end the threat of the Wraith for good."

"Same reason you haven't told your superiors. We care about her too much for her to face the law in the state she's in," said Spider-Man.

"Why haven't you caught her?" asked DeWolff. "Surely, all that tech and weapons shouldn't make her a match for both of you."

"I try, Jean. I try," said Spider-Man. "But..."

"It's complicated, right?" Kid Arachnid guessed. "But hey, I try, too. I have no excuse, except I'm still a rookie."

"Well, you've been a successful rookie, Kid," said DeWolff. "Just leave the tank truck thefts to us."

"Hey, I'll get it right one day, Jean. Just not today, but one day," Kid Arachnid said confidently, hands on hips and chin up.

DeWolff laughs a little and says, "I guess I'll leave you two to find her. If you can, help her. I don't want to have to arrest her when she's too unhinged and dangerous to be caged."

DeWolff checks on the rest of the crime scene. Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid leave the warehouse after having gotten all the information they needed on the Wraith's latest activity. The Raft breakout has made her even more active than usual. Without a way to follow her movement or predict where she's gonna strike next, she's just gonna keep dropping bodies, except for those who have families.

"I know you and Janice are broken up, but you don't have to hit on Jean," said Spider-Man.

"I just wanna look badass for her and the police," Kid Arachnid said defensively. "Besides, Janice and I are... working on things. It's pretty hard what with her mom deciding to move to Connecticut, but we still stay in contact."

"Well, good for you, Miles," said Spider-Man. "But we have to find Yuri and stop her now. This city has too much to be afraid of without her frightening everyone to hide their beds in the basement and then hiding under those beds."

"I got it. We have to find Li," said Kid Arachnid. "Out of all of the Wraith's crimes in the past month, most of them have involved the Demons. They're pretty much her #1 target. We find Li, we find Wraith."

"Miles, you're genius," said Spider-Man. "Now, how do we find Li?"

"Uh, I haven't though that far ahead," Kid Arachnid said ashamedly.

"Don't worry. We'll think of something," said Spider-Man. "Go home and rest for the night. I have to work on locating Dr. Octavius."

"Try Oscorp or Osborn's apartment," Kid Arachnid suggested.

"It's been a month, Miles. If Otto wanted to attack Norman where he lives or works, he would've done it a long time ago," said Spider-Man. "No, just like Li, Otto is hiding in the shadows, planning his revenge."

The two swing pass Times Square, where they see the giant billboards advertising Christmas-themed products. It's December, after all. It's the month of Christmas. Only 24 days until Christmas. Heck, half the city is already decorated for the holidays. Lights, garlands, Christmas trees, etc.

"Man, look at all this," said Kid Arachnid, admiring the Christmas look below. "Why does the breakout have to ruin the best holiday of the year."

"It's not Christmas yet, Miles. We got plenty of time to lock up all the baddies before Santa comes," said Spider-Man. "Sandman, Chameleon, and Swarm are locked up in Ryker's brand new anti-super cells, courtesy of Octavius Industries."

"Where did you even get the money for all that tech?" asked Miles.

"The small-time repairs and frequent prosthetics projects are doing quite well, actually, not to mention Robbie pays me much more money than Jameson for pictures of Spider-Man," said Spider-Man. "Funny. My superhero life is a mess now, but my working life is better than ever. But I shouldn't thank the breakout for that. I have to stop it. We have to stop it."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Once again, MJ is visiting Oscorp behind Peter's back. She has to see Dr. Michaels about the medicine he has been giving her to treat the corruption still lingering in her system. Dr. Michaels told security to allow MJ in if it's to see him. She shows up in his lab with a box filled with empty vials that once contained the medicine. She was very nervous tonight, as she knew Dr. Michaels would not like what he was gonna find.

"You have been overdosing?" Dr. Michaels asked, appalled.

"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have," said MJ. "But you're right. It's getting worse."

"This is about your extracurricular activities, hasn't it?" Dr. Michaels guessed.

"You know?" MJ asked.

"It's not exactly that difficult. Who else in this city has Li's powers and would use them for good?" Dr. Michaels said. "Don't worry, Ms. Watson. I'm not angry. I'm glad you are finding a way to make good use of the corruption, but you can't overuse the medicine."

"I know. I'm an idiot," said MJ. "I just want this to stop. I got desperate. You have no idea how much it hurts, both physically and emotionally. It's like something feral is trying to claw its way to my heart and rip it out. And I couldn't just ignore people in need when I know I can do something about it. A friend of mine once said, with great power, comes great responsibility. Maybe this isn't what he meant, but I still see it that way."

Dr. Michaels sighs with disappointment and says, "I am no closer to finding a cure. And with the energy within you getting stronger... I don't know what to do except keep going."

"You won't have to worry about the cure. I'm not taking the medicine anymore," said MJ.

"What? But, Ms. Watson, if left untreated, your condition will worsen. Your negative side will take over," said Dr. Michaels.

"Taking advantage of the medicine does the same," said MJ. "Spider-Man will catch Li. He's my best and only hope."

"You're not thinking of... if Li touches you and absorbs the energy from within you, you will not be cured. You will be killed," said Dr. Michaels. "None of us here know the full capabilities of Li's powers. We don't know if he can take away your power without ending your life. It's too risky."

"What other choice do I have?" MJ said, feeling desperately hopeless. "Thank you for all your help, Dr. Michaels, but I think the best I can do now is wait."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Black Cat had to make sure she wasn't followed or watched as she made her way to the Symkarian Embassy. She and Silver Sable have been in contact since their one team-up last month, all because the princess wanted to expose Mayor Ophelia Sarkissian for the criminal she is. Ophelia's defeat will free Black Cat from her prison of a contract. Black Cat may not want to tell Silver what Sarkissian is using to blackmail the cat burglar, but they still agreed to work together.

"So, what have you found?" asked Black Cat.

Silver takes out a recording device and plays it.

 _"... you put me in charge of this, remember? You want the Spider, I'll get you the Spider. Now, if you'll excuse me, Madame Mayor, I have actual work to do."_

"Sounds like Commissioner Drew," said Black Cat.

"That's because it is," Silver confirmed. "I could not get closer, not without drawing suspicion. It's not enough proof, but I can confirm that she is linked to Sarkissian. We have to know what she knows."

"So, another corrupt Commissioner, huh?" Black Cat commented.

Silver starts walking, only to bend over and hold her stomach, which was getting bigger. The baby is growing and it's affecting her movements. There's a reason she has not been seen in action since the Raft breakout.

"How's the baby?" asked Black Cat.

"Weighing me down," said Silver. "I cannot engage in more fights like this."

"Well, that's why you got me," said Black Cat.

"Who are you? My bodyguard and personal assassin?" Silver replied sarcastically.

"Wow, that Spidey humor has literally gotten into you," Black Cat joked. "Or it's just the mood swings. Probably both."

"You do not know the full story," said Silver. "And it's not pleasant, I promise you."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

 _"Welcome to yet another insightful and helpful episode of Just the Facts with me, J. Jonah Jameson," Jameson said, starting his podcast's latest episode. "Now, my loyal fans have been asking me a lot about the Wraith. The purple-suited vigilante with a demonic mask that gives the Demons a run for their money. She's a killer, but she only kills criminals. One of my sources say that she spared one of the Demons in her latest festive slaughter because he was just a corrupted innocent civilian with a family. So, I guess it's clear she has her standards. Now, what do I think about her? I think she's a menace no bigger than Spider-Man. You put on a mask, attach some fancy gadgets onto your belt, and fight crime without caring who gets caught in the crossfire, and you're immediately a menace. But, of course, the real question my fans have been asking is if I condone her actions? She only executes criminals after all, and I have constantly expressed the need to do just that to the evil and guilty. But just to be clear, I am talking about the death sentence. That is how I want the vile and irredeemable to be judged. Cold-blooded murder is not the way to exact justice. Unless you murder someone in self-defense, well... I'm not gonna get into that or else I'll be here all day. Point is, while I do actually believe the Wraith has a point with her murderous motivations, I believe it's the law's job to determine the fate of these criminals, not her."_

"You and Spider-Man are almost on the same page, Jameson," Yuri commented. "But you can never understand me."

Yuri turns off her phone and focuses on her computer. She managed to tag the one Demon that got away with a tracking device. That way, he can lead her back to Mister Negative. The former CEO of F.E.A.S.T. has ordered three public attacks, killed over two dozen police officers, and assassinated three Oscorp scientists in the past few weeks. He's had the biggest criminal activity since the breakout, making him Yuri's priority target.

The beeping dot on her screen stopped at a certain spot. Yuri changed the map view to two-dimension to three-dimensional. The Demon didn't stop. He was going underground.

"Hammerhead's old underground base. So, that's where you're hiding, Li," Yuri figured. "Well..."

Yuri puts on her mask.

"I'm coming for you," she said.

* * *

Jean DeWolff was out on her own, trying to pick up the blood trail. The rest of the officers just packed it up with whatever evidence there was to be found in the warehouse, but Jean wasn't going to quit just yet. This is her friend that's putting herself in danger. She's gonna find her even if she has to look herself. The trail stops a block away from the warehouse, meaning that the Demon patched himself up to stop leaving a blood trail.

"Dammit," Jean cursed.

"Damn what?"

Jean jumps, startled, and aims her gun at whoever was behind her. Fortunately, it was just Kid Arachnid. He put his hands in the air, just so she wouldn't shoot him.

"Whoa, sorry. It's just me," said Kid Arachnid.

"Did anyone ever teach you not to sneak up on a woman?" asked Jean.

"Again, sorry," Kid Arachnid apologized. "I saw you going off on your own. I figured you were up to something."

"The Demon that escaped. He left a blood trail. No one's following it but me. I have to see where this leads. Maybe Yuri's going after him," said Jean.

"Or she probably let him escape on purpose so he can lead her to Mister Negative," Kid Arachnid guessed. "I mean, all those guys in there didn't stand a chance. How is one guy this lucky? All that blood he lost, it's too much. There is no way he could get away fast enough or far enough for Wraith to just give up like that."

"Hmm, that's actually a good point," said Jean.

"Man, I'm on a roll tonight," Kid Arachnid cheered. "Say, you could use a partner. Mind if I tag along?"

"Well, okay, but this isn't exactly a date," said Jean.

"Hey, we can go a date afterwards," Kid Arachnid joked.

"What about you and that Beetle girl?" Jean asked suspiciously.

"It's... ah... well... look, forget the date thing. Let's just go grab coffee like two best buddies, right after we catch Wraith," said Kid Arachnid.

"Well, the trail's gone cold. But judging by the current clotting state of the blood, he couldn't have gone too far," said Jean. "You swing around and see."

"No problem, Detective," said Kid Arachnid.

Kid Arachnid starts swinging around the area to see if there are possible places the Demon might've gone to. He found a rifle next to a dumpster, which is identical to the rifles found in the warehouse. The Demon must've dropped his weapon, probably because it was already out of bullets. He swings further to estimate a location where the Demon could be. While he does, he decides to have a talk with Jean, via comm-link. He did give her his number, after all. Kid Arachnid's number, to be specific, not Miles Morales' number.

"You seem really determined to find your friend," said Kid Arachnid.

"I've known Yuri since we were both just rookies in the force. I guess you can say we're kinda best friends," said Jean. "I say, _kinda_ , because she was never the most sociable person. Always focused on work and the Maggia. But she didn't ignore me completely. We'd grab coffee sometimes and I'd even try to help her this guy she liked. Teddy Rangel."

"Spider-Man told me about him," said Kid Arachnid. "I guess Yuri told him."

"She was devastated when Tombstone killed him. I tried to be there for her, even if she didn't want the company. I tried to do the same thing after she resigned from the force. She had my back after my old childhood friend was killed by the Maggia, so I had to do the same for her," said Jean. "She's like the cranky sister to me. To know that it's her behind that purple mask, it's horrifying. I can't just give up on her. Make no mistake. She's gonna answer for her crimes, but I want her to do it willingly."

"Well, you may just be one step closer to getting what you want," said Kid Arachnid.

"Why?" asked Jean.

"Because I found an open manhole," said Kid Arachnid. "And not just any manhole. It's the manhole leading to Hammerhead's underground base."

"That must be where Li and the Demons have been hiding," Jean thought.

"I'll contact Spider-Man. We could use backup," said Kid Arachnid.

"What about your ex-girlfriend?" Jean asked, teasing him a bit.

"Not tonight, I'm afraid. Out of town with her folks," said Miles. He just said "folks" because he didn't want to give Jean hints on Beetle's identity.

* * *

Wraith ventured deep into the sewers where Hammerhead once hid his Project Olympus projects. The thought of that metal-domed maniac sickens her, but she reminds herself that she is the one who put an end to him. Right now, she has a new target. His name is Martin Li, a.k.a. Mister Negative. She's gonna make him pay for all of his crimes before and during the Devil's Breath epidemic. Li had no family, not anymore, so Wraith will have no qualms about ending his miserable life. But first, she must endure all the nasty smells just to get to where he could be.

By the time she reached the area where she heard voices, she was disappointed to find out that it was mostly empty, except for two Demon brutes, two Demons armed with negatively-charged whips, two Demon swordsmen, and two Demon gunmen. The place looked like it was cleared out.

"Disappointed, my dear?"

That echoing voice was awfully familiar. Coming out of the shadows is Mister Negative himself, glowing black and white and all. He had that sinister smile on his face, as if he's proud of something.

"I knew that Demon was too injured to have eluded you. I just had to be prepared," said Mister Negative.

"You knew I was coming, and now you're moving out," Wraith realized.

"Well, we weren't gonna stay here for long. You just made me reschedule our departure," said Mister Negative. "So, I finally get to meet the deadly Wraith. Although, I don't see what's to be afraid of."

"When you see the face of death, you'll be very afraid," Wraith snarled.

"Good thing I came prepared," said Mister Negative. "You've killed my men quite effectively. Now, it's time for a front row seat. Show me what you can do."

Wraith starts running as the gunmen start firing at her. Wraith tucks and rolls as she throws two fear grenades at Mister Negative and his minions. Mister Negative super-jumps backwards while the other Demons runs. Unfortunately, one brute and one swordsman were caught in the green mists caused by the grenades. First, they have trouble breathing. After that, they started hallucinating. Then they started screaming. The negative energy within them surges throughout their entire body, hurting them like they were burning up on the inside. And then they dropped dead. No twitching. No breathing. Just gone.

"Interesting," Mister Negative said.

"Fear and negativity don't mix, Li," said Wraith. "Which means you won't survive."

Wraith was about to throw another mini-bomb, only to get attacked from the left by a Whip Demon #1. He catches her in his whip and throws her to the side. Whip Demon #2 comes jumping in, but Wraith rolls out of the way of his whip attack. She activates her own whips.

"Let me show you how to whip it," said Wraith.

Wraith starts spinning herself and her whips around. The whip demons do some flipping around to dodge Wraith's attacks. Unfortunately, Wraith manages to wrap her whip around Whip Demon #1's ankle and strike Whip Demon #2 out of the air during his flip. She shocks Whip Demon #1's before throwing him at Demon Gunman # sees Demon Brute #2 coming at her. She deactivates one of her whips and tosses the whip device in the air. She tumbles out of Demon Brute #2's way, shoots Whip Demon #2 three times with her gun, grabs the whip device out of the air, and then reacts in time to wrap both whips around Demon Brute #2's throat, electrocuting him down to his knees. She then twists the brute's head and breaks his neck.

Demon Gunman #2 gets up and prepares to fire, only to get his rifle whipped out of his hands by Wraith. She shortens her whip to about a half-a-foot long and stabs Demon Gunman #2 right through the chest with it, killing him.

Mister Negative slow-claps and says, "Quite impressive. I guess you're as formidable as they say you are."

"I'm worse," said Wraith.

"Oh, did you think that was all?" Mister Negative said.

Twelve Demons armed with rifles come out of hiding and aim directly at the purple-suited vigilante. She had nowhere to go and her suit isn't designed to protect her from a hail of bullets.

"Coward," Wraith insulted. "Afraid to face your fears? Afraid to face me?"

"I have better things to do," said Mister Negative. "You're just another nuisance."

Suddenly, webs come out of nowhere and hit the Demon gunmen's faces, hands, and weapons. Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid come swinging in. Kid Arachnid had a passenger with him. It was Jean.

"Detective DeWolff?" Wraith reacted quietly, surprised.

"We'll handle the Demons. You and Spider-Man take care of Li," said Jean.

"Well, you heard the Detective, Ms. Wraith. It's you and me again," Spider-Man said with calm confidence.

Spider-Man stands next to Wraith and looks at her right in the face. Even with that horrifying mask, he can tell that she's glad to see him. Wraith didn't want to admit that she's grateful, but she didn't have to say anything.

"Game over, Li," said Spider-Man.

"It's far from over, Peter," said Mister Negative.

"Peter?" Wraith muttered.

Mister Negative charges up and fires a huge wave of negative energy at Spider-Man and Wraith. Spider-Man grabs Wraith and web-zips both of them out of the way of the blast. Mister Negative feels weak for a few seconds before firing negative energy blasts at Spider-Man, who was swinging in mid-air. He had to leap off his web lines just to jump out of the way of the blasts, which makes it a little dizzying for Wraith.

"Just as worse as the first swing," Wraith commented.

"This is just not as fun, though," Spider-Man added.

Meanwhile, Kid Arachnid and Jean DeWolff take care of the one dozen Demons. They were trying to pull the webs off their masks and guns, but their butts are getting kicked pretty quickly.

Kid Arachnid web-snatches Demon #1 and spins him around before tossing him at Demons #2 and #3. He then jumps off Demon #4's shoulders, web-grabs him, and them web-slams him on Demon #5. Kid Arachnid electrocutes Demon #6 with his electric touch while he fires Electric Webs at Demons #7 and #8. He finishes Demon #6 by flip-kicking him in the face.

Jean shoots Demon #9 and #10 dead before they could fire their guns. She gets up-close to Demon #11, who whacks her in the face with his gun. She kicks him below the belt quickly before finally landing the kill shot to the chest.

"Hey, Jean!" Kid Arachnid shouted.

Kid Arachnid double-kicks Demon #12 towards her. She knocks him down with a jump kick to the back. When the Demon tried to get back up, she shot him in the back. That startled Kid Arachnid, but he knew she had to do it.

"Okay, I'm not even gonna protest against that," said Kid Arachnid. "Police work, right?"

"Arrest, incapacitate, or kill. Yup, police work," said Jean.

As for Spider-Man and Wraith, they double-team Mister Negative. Mister Negative has his negatively-charged sword in his hand, but Spider-Man's Spider Sense allows him to dodge ever swing. He lands two quick kicks to Mister Negative's face. Wraith quickly follows this with a jump kick to the back, knocking Mister Negative down. He manages to knock Wraith down with a negative blast, but Spider-Man webs his sword away from him. Mister Negative creates a long spear-like projectile from his negative energy and throws it at Spider-Man. While he missed, the explosion from the blast pushed Spider-Man to a large boiler.

Spider-Man sees Mister Negative retrieve his sword and about to strike down Wraith.

"No!" Spider-Man cried.

Spider-Man web-zips himself towards Mister Negative and lands a strong punch to the face. He webs Mister Negative's face and pulls him closer, allowing him to land a graceful helicopter kick, kicking three times in the face and chest. Mister Negative slams his sword down to send a negative shockwave at Spider-Man. Spider-Man gets hit, but he springs himself back up easily. Wraith gets back up as well and shoots at Mister Negative with her gun. He actually blocks every bullet she fires with his sword.

"Wow," Spider-Man reacted.

Wraith angrily throws her gun at Mr. Negative, which he just swats away with his sword. Wraith charges at Mister Negative with her whips and starts whacking him with it with a bunch of spinning and rage-filled whipping. Mister Negative may be skilled and disciplined, but he was getting hit multiple times no matter how well he blocked or dodged. Two long whips coming at him was nothing easy, especially against someone who uses them as well, if not better, than his own whip-equipped henchmen. Wraith keeps whipping Mister Negative until she gets closer. She kicks Mister Negative in the chest, wraps her whips around him, and then electrocutes him until he drops down.

Mister Negative's glow disappears. He's just an unconscious Martin Li now.

"Like he said, game over," Wraith growled.

"Wait!" Spider-Man interrupted.

"I'm not having this debate with you, Spider-Man," said Wraith.

"Even if he deserves to die, you don't have to do this," said Spider-Man. "He's not the complete monster you think he is."

"Nonsense!" Wraith snapped.

All this bickering gave Mister Negative time to wake up. He starts charging up and unleashes a massive burst of negative energy, screaming with anger as he let it all out. Spider-Man, Wraith, Kid Arachnid, and Jean are all hit and get seriously hurt as they lie on the ground barely able to move. This outburst drained Mister Negative. He's down on one knee, trying to regain his strength.

Jean, who was affected the least because she was furthest from the blast, gets up and approaches her purple-clad friend.

"Yuri. Yuri, are you okay?" Jean asked, worried.

"Ugh," Wraith grunted in pain.

"Hey, it's okay," said Jean. "Look, I can't promise you freedom, but you need to..."

Jean is cut off when she gets stabbed through the back with a glowing sword by Mister Negative. Wraith sees this and gasps with horror. Mister Negative pulls his sword out of Jean and shoves her aside. He brutally kicks Wraith in the stomach before walking away. Instead of chasing Mister Negative, Wraith crawls to her injured friend. She was bleeding out fast.

"Jean, no," Wraith cried.

"I'm sorry," Jean said weakly.

"For what?" asked Wraith.

"That I... couldn't... save you," Jean said, struggling to breathe due to the wound.

Jean's eyes close as she, much to Wraith's horror, stops breathing. Wraith tries shaking Jean gently, hoping she's still alive. But Jean didn't move. Wraith shakes her even more, but it didn't work. Jean's not moving.

"No, no, no," Wraith cried fearfully. "No, Jean. No!"

Wraith turns her head towards Mister Negative, who had already left the area. She wanted to chase him, but she was too weak to move. The same can be said for Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid, both who can barely move due to extreme body ache from Mister Negative's outburst. Wraith can only take her mask off and shed tears for her fallen ex-comrade.

"Why? Why did this happen?" She asked sadly and angrily.

She puts her mask back on and walks away. If she stayed here longer, Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid will take her to the police.

"Yuri," Spider-Man called weakly.

"Don't call me that," Yuri said coldly.

Yuri puts her mask back on and uses her whip to grapple out of the sewers, especially since she's still too weak to run or walk.

* * *

Commissioner Jessica Drew returns to her apartment after a long day of police work. Between the warehouse slaughter and the cleanup at Hammerhead's old sewer base, it has been exhausting in terms of paperwork and phone calls. Now, all she can do is think about her objective. Spider-Man remains uncaptured and HYDRA wants him bad. Even if Jessica herself is proof that Project: Arachnia is promising right now, they need Spider-Man to complete the project. Jessica herself is eager to taste the full power.

She accesses the secret vault in her bedroom and takes out the box that had her suit in it. Sarkissian gave her this suit, and she did not want to waste it. She wants to be wearing this suit when she finally takes down Spider-Man.

She puts the suit back in the vault and heads to the bathroom to take an evening shower.

Unbeknownst to Jessica, someone has been watching her. From outside her bedroom window, Black Cat clung to the side of the building while peeking through the window. She reports to Silver Sable what she found, via a comm-link that is designed only for communication between the two of them.

"This just got interesting," said Black Cat.

 _"What did you find?" asked Silver Sable._

"That Spider-Woman that's been harassing our boy lately, I found her," said Black Cat.

 _"Jessica Drew is the Spider-Woman. Indeed, this is quite interesting," said Silver Sable._

 **My first chapter back and this is where it ends. R.I.P. Jean DeWolff. It's harsh, I know, but sometimes a writer has got to be willing to make sacrifices for story purposes, even if the writer has the power to keep all the good people alive. Yuri's had it rough here and I didn't have to kill off Jean, but there's a lesson here somewhere for Yuri. Either you know now or you'll know one day.**

 **Notes:**

 **\- Yes, my explanation for Janice/Beetle not being here is that her mom is one of those people who moved out of Manhattan following the Raft breakout. We'll see Janice again, but she's gonna be gone for a while. That doesn't leave a lot of room for Miles' personal story, especially since his very own Yuri, who is Jean, is now gone, but it's just getting too crowded.**

 **\- Remember that chapter where Silver and Felicia teamed up? Yeah, well, I wasn't gonna ignore it. Now, they're working together. Like I said before, if I want to focus on the Main Six (see cover photo, if that's not clear), I better establish a connection between all of them. Silver and Felicia are now reluctant partners. One day, maybe I'll let Yuri have some time with everyone instead of just Spidey.**


	39. Not Easy Being Green

**One of the extra plots that was always gonna be a part of this story from the start is The Raft breakout. I mean, I knew I couldn't keep up the fun stuff for long. I would have to bring back Octavius, Li, and the other villains back at some point. Then I panicked because of the endless requests (people want Venom or Deadpool or Into the Spider-Verse or Gwen Stacy or the Avengers; it's just too much), and I decided to add HYDRA, A.I.M., and Doctor Doom. For the sake of my own sanity, I plan to shorten each storyline.**

 **Anyways, please enjoy the chapter.**

 **Leave a review, if you like. Give me your full, honest opinion on the chapter. I would appreciate it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: Shunya Toshiki, I.D.'s Fantasy, Knox, CG, Heinkelboy05, Spideysquad, rex1297**

 ** _To I.D.'s Fantasy_: Thanks for mentioning Felicia and Silver's team-up. Really, I appreciate it a lot.**

 ** _To Knox_: Thanks for that piece of trivia, but not everything has to be exactly like the comics. Every writer needs freedom to do their own thing.**

 ** _To rex1297_: That's the thing. There's still years to wait before the next installment, and I don't know where I'll be in real life by then, if I'm gonna be too busy or not to do FanFiction. It's scary to wait, but I still really don't want to touch the Harry/Venom thing. There is the part that I have too many promises to fulfill (Doctor Doom and A.I.M. being two of them) I may have done my own Wraith, but it's the PS4 Venom I won't touch.**

At Oscorp's underground lab where they're creating their own versions of Silver Sable's Project Olympus, Norman Osborn is eagerly waiting for the completion of his latest project. GS-01. He and Oscorp's robotics expert Dr. Stromm have been working on it for the past four months. It was a super soldier serum of some sort, but it was lacking something. Norman found it in one of MJ's blood samples that he secretly kept for himself. Tinkering with the GR-27 that was inside MJ's blood, Norman believes he has perfected GS-01.

"Dr. Stromm, what's the status of the new armor?" Norman asked.

"Form-fitting, but just as protective," Dr. Stromm answered. "And I've established its link to our new and improved glider. Offense, speed, and long-distance summoning."

"Excellent," Norman said, impressed.

Dr. Michaels enters the lab to see that Norman has continued the GS-01 project without him. He has this worried look on his face as he approaches the Oscorp CEO.

"Mr. Osborn, what are you doing?" Dr. Michaels asked.

"Finishing your work. We can't tolerate delays, Dr. Michaels," said Norman.

"The GS-01 is still unstable. Even if you figured out the formula on your own, there are no guarantees," said Dr. Michaels.

The machine processing the GS-01 stops, meaning that it's finished polishing the formula. The lid of the machine opens and out comes the vial containing the serum. Norman picks it up and marvels at the completion. The green liquid inside this very vial is exactly what he needs.

"Why are you so invested on this project?" asked Dr. Michaels.

"Super soldiers, Dr. Michaels," Norman answered casually. "The world's always looking for the next Captain America. Stark won't give the government his suits, but I might just give them an army of perfect soldiers."

"You've tried this once, and it cost you a lot of money. What makes this different?" asked Dr. Michaels.

"Don't you have another project to work on, Doctor?" Norman asked strictly, dodging the question.

"No. Ms. Watson has stopped taking it," said Dr. Michaels.

"Has she now?" Norman asked suspiciously.

"She has," Dr. Michaels confirmed. "Which means my schedule is wide open. I was hoping to work on the GS-01, but I see you've handled it for me."

"Remember, Dr. Michaels. I don't just run this place. I have the mind to run this place," said Norman. "Now, you and Dr. Stromm, you're both excused for the night."

"Well, if you say so, Mr. Osborn," Dr. Michaels replied, confused.

Dr. Michaels leaves the lab. Dr. Stromm, however, too has his concerns that he needs to speak of to his boss.

"Are you sure this is wise, Norman?" asked Dr. Stromm.

"Why the doubts, Doctor?" Norman asked with a delighted smile, looking at the new armor.

"There is this maniac who still has one of our suits and one of our gliders. He knew about Project Olympus. What's to stop him from "

"You have nothing to worry about, Doctor," Norman said in a neglectful way. "Just go home. Have dinner with your family. I'll take care of things here."

"Uh, well... thank you, sir," Dr. Stromm said, still sounding concerned.

Dr. Stromm packs up his stuff and leaves.

Norman stares at the brand new suit on display and the GS-01 in his hand. He's been working for months to get to this point. _If only a cure for Harry were this fast and easy_ , he thought sadly. But right now, he has what he needs to evolve himself. No one knows that he was the green-suited, demon-like maniac who attacked Spider-Man and Black Cat months ago. Wilson Fisk inspired him. Fisk is a man who can run an entire city behind the scenes while not being afraid to get his hands dirty. Fisk lost to Spider-Man, but at least he was willing to fight the wall-crawler himself.

"Spider-Man. The Cat. Sable. No one's gonna get in my way ever again," Norman said with sinister determination.

Norman puts the entire lab under lockdown. That way, no one can get in. He heads deeper into the lab where the testing chamber is. It's where GS-01 was supposed to be tested. Good thing Oscorp hasn't picked a candidate yet. Norman has. Himself.

He turns on the chamber. He puts the GS-01 serum into a needle and injects himself with it. After giving the serum time to flow through his blood, he enters the chamber and lies down on the bed. It auto-restrains him for what's next. Metal walls descend and cover the chamber, preventing anyone outside to see what's happening inside. A light shines through the metal wall as Norman screams in pain. Injecting the serum into his body was one thing. The chamber is going to accelerate its effects.

And it hurts.

* * *

 _"Today, we honor yet another fallen sister of our trusted police force. Detective Jean DeWolff," Jameson said somberly. "As you already may have known, she was killed by the madman known as Martin Li, a.k.a. Mister Negative, who is one of the several maniacs who escaped The Raft last month. But then I have to remind you that Spider-Man, Kid Arachnid, and the Wraith were right there. They failed to save her, most likely because they were more concerned about the glory of taking down Martin Li rather than the safety of the non-powered officer fighting alongside them. Now, I know a lot of you are gonna call me out for being mournful since I disagreed with her about her stand on Spider-Man vigilantism, but this isn't about that argument. It's about the city losing a good officer of the law. Yes, I admit, Jean DeWolff, despite having fallen victim to Spider-Man's so-called charms, was one of the best. One of the most revered officers in New York history. Ms. DeWolff, you will be missed. By all of New York. Even by me. I am serious. Stay tuned for more Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson!"_

"Hey, you!" A.I.M. Scientist #1 shouted at his fellow scientists.

A.I.M. Scientists #2, #3, and #4 were listening to Jameson's podcast, while they were in the middle of watching over their transport truck, which was parked in an empty yard outside an abandoned warehouse in Washington Heights.

"Don't tell me you numbskulls are still listening to that lunatic Jameson," said A.I.M. Scientist #1, annoyed.

"Uh, we, uh, use him for info," A.I.M. Scientist #2 lied. "Knowing where Spider-Man is and where all his other vigilante friends are. It'll help us move through Manhattan better. I mean, that Wraith person made a mess of our transportation months ago."

"We should be proud, kinda. She used that stolen material to make herself a powerful suit," said A.I.M. Scientist #3.

"Just keep an eye on the truck," said A.I.M. Scientist #1. "We don't want any surprises..."

"Car!" A.I.M. Scientist #4 shouted, pointing at the sky.

A car flies right towards the A.I.M. Scientists. They jump out of the way, but crashes right next to the truck. It hits the truck, but the truck was only moved a little from the collision.

"What the hell?" A.I.M. Scientist #1 wondered out loud.

Their ears pick up the sound of metal hitting concrete. The metal were four metallic tentacles, all worn by the one and only Dr. Otto Octavius. The scientists were about to open fire, but Doctor Octopus smacks them with such brutal force, injuring them and disarming them before they can ever fire a shot. A.I.M. Scientist #1, who kept a tight grip on his gun, fires at the mad scientist, but Doc Ock blocks the energy blasts with his tentacles. He grabs A.I.M. Scientist #1's hand with one of his tentacles and squeezes hard, crushing his weapon and his hand. The scientist screamed in pain. Octavius releases him so he will stop screaming.

"What do you want?" asked A.I.M. Scientist #1.

"A.I.M. has been experimenting with a volatile energy source," said Doctor Octopus. "And you have samples of it in the truck. I'd like to take them off your hands."

"The Scientist Supreme will not stand for this," said the injured scientist.

"I only have one person to worry about. And that's Norman Osborn," Doctor Octopus said with vengeful intent. "Too bad you won't live to see your work put into good use."

The last thing the A.I.M. Scientist ever saw is one of Doctor Octopus' scary tentacles coming at his face.

* * *

The next morning, Yuri visits her friend Jean's grave. She didn't show up for the funeral because Spider-Man might find her there and follow her back to where she hides. That's why she waited until the next day to see the gravestone with Jean DeWolff's name on it up-close. It hurts her to even look at this. So many good people in this city have died in the past two years, and Jean is among those good people.

"I swear, Jean, I will make Li pay for this," Yuri said vengefully. "I know you're disappointed in me, but I am gonna do this for you."

Unbeknownst to Yuri, someone is watching her. It was just Spider-Man, wearing his Iron Spider suit. He thought that she would visit Jean's grave when no one is around, including him. Yet, he decided to just let her grieve. He really wanted her to answer for her crimes, even if the people she killed are all criminals, but something was keeping him from just coming out of his hiding spot.

 _"What are you waiting for, Peter?"_ F.R.I.D.A.Y. asked. _"The target, a.k.a. The Wraith, is right over there."_

"Shh. I know," Spider-Man interrupted. "But... I don't know, F.R.I.D.A.Y. I don't want to force her. She's in a very fragile state and putting her in jail right now is just gonna make her worse. I know I shouldn't just let her go, but... ugh! Darn me and my big heart. Why am I too nice a guy?"

Yuri can hear someone close by. She turns around, only to see that no one else is there. She decides to leave immediately just in case a certain spandex-wearing superhero is here. Good thing has a gun and a fear bomb on her person, for emergencies only.

"You want to keep coming after me, Spider-Man? Then bring it. See what happens when you get in my way too many times," Yuri muttered.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

MJ was on her way to meet with Silver Sable, who contacted her and told her to see her at the Symkarian Embassy. Suddenly, a car door opened and a hand pulled her in. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the person who grabbed her is Felicia Hardy, this time not wearing her Black Cat suit. It's a weird sight to MJ, for sure. MJ looks at the front seat and sees a silver-haired woman wearing sunglasses.

"Ms. Sable?" MJ started.

Silver takes off the sunglasses and adjusts the rear view mirror.

"Um, did you buy a new car?" MJ asked jokingly.

"We're just trying to be inconspicuous," said Felicia.

"Wait, are you two... working together or something?" MJ asked.

"As you already know, through our mutual friend, Mayor Sarkissian is a HYDRA operative infiltrating Manhattan," said Silver. "And Ms. Hardy here was forced to do her bidding."

"Why?" MJ asked curiously.

"Not important right now," said Felicia. "Point is, we plan to expose her."

"I've thought about working on that, but I've been... too busy," MJ said, still hiding her secret.

"Well, don't worry. We just need one little favor," said Felicia. "You're going to interview the Police Commissioner."

"Commissioner Drew? Why?" asked MJ.

"Because she is the Spider-Woman," Felicia revealed.

"Whoa. Really?" MJ asked, shocked.

"Ms. Hardy has been shadowing Commissioner Drew for me. She found her suit in her apartment," said Silver. "But her apartment is protected by a security system. Touch even the glass on her window and she will know that she is being watched. A mere picture will not be enough to prove the truth. We need the suit."

"And the only way to gain access to her apartment is her card key," said Felicia.

"And you're having trouble stealing that?" MJ questioned.

"Well... I'm more into art," Felicia excused. "Plus, she's too public a figure to chase down."

"We need you to convince Drew to agree to an interview," said Silver. "Make sure to take it somewhere no one can catch Ms. Hardy sneaking in, preferably the roof."

"Okay," said MJ. "But what if Jessica realizes quickly that her key card's missing? She'll suspect me immediately."

"Which is why I am, as you would say, make some noise," said Silver.

"By the way, Sable, how close are you to catching that thief?" asked MJ.

"He's very elusive and quite clever. I'm almost impressed," Silver lied convincingly.

"Spider-Man hasn't told me anything about it. I take it you're not even asking him for help," MJ said suspiciously.

"Well, she's been busy helping me," said Felicia.

"Well, an arms dealer is nothing compared to HYDRA," said MJ. "Still, it's been a couple of months already. You'd think he would've sold the stolen weapons already."

"That thief is my business, Ms. Watson. You focus on Drew. Conjure a convincing reason for an interview," said Silver. "We start tonight."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

After regrettably letting Yuri stay loose on the city, Peter returns to the Daily Bugle to submit his pictures on Spider-Man stopping a shootout between two small gangs. No one was hurt or killed, except for the gangs. Three were gunned down, while the rest were punched to unconsciousness by Spider-Man.

"Hey, Pete. Spider-Man just stopped a shootout earlier," Eddie said upon seeing the photographer. "Did you get pictures?"

"Oh, you bet I did," Peter confirmed, cheering himself.

"Robbie paying you well? The explains the smile on your face," said Eddie.

"How much does he pay you?" Peter retorted humorously.

"Ouch," Betty reacted, feeling the burn there.

Peter enters Robbie's office and shows him pictures of Spider-Man stopping the shootout. Once again, Robbie is impressed. It's Peter Parker, of course. Arguably the best photographer in New York, if not the whole country.

"I'm tempted to pay you triple, Pete," said Robbie.

"Not necessary. Although, double my salary would be nice," said Peter.

"I'll think about it. Really," said Robbie.

"Where's MJ?" asked Peter.

"Off on another personal project," said Robbie. "I'm also tempted to just give her the whole building already."

"You think she's got what it takes to be Chief Editor?" asked Peter.

"She's still young, Peter, like you. But she's remarkably ahead of her time," said Robbie.

"Chief!" Betty called, entering the door. "An explosion at an Oscorp power plant."

"I'm on it," said Peter.

"I'll call MJ," said Robbie. "Be careful, Peter."

"Hey, with any luck, Spider-Man is already on it," said Peter.

* * *

Indeed he is. Spider-Man swings towards the Oscorp power plant where the explosion was reported to have happened. A being with black tentacles attached to his back stands on one of power plant's smokestacks. And there's only one person who uses tentacles that are black and totally evil. Spider-Man sticks to the side of a smokestack just next to the cause of the explosion. Speaking of the explosion, it created quiet a mess, Spider-Man is surprised the power plant didn't blow up entirely.

"I was waiting for you, Spider-Man," said Doctor Octopus.

"Blowing up an Oscorp power plant, Otto? That's just childish," Spider-Man commented.

"We both know I'm smarter than that," said Doctor Octopus.

"I know," said Spider-Man. "But I'm still gonna kick your twitching butt to Ryker's."

"Ah, yes. Ryker's can now hold enhanced individuals," Doctor Octopus knew. "Excellent job, Peter. You're making good use of my company."

"Thank Norman. He was generous enough to reopen it for me," said Spider-Man.

"Oh, I think we both know he did it for a price," said Doctor Octopus. "The Oscorp job, I presume."

"And turn over Octavius Industries projects to Oscorp when I do accept the job. Okay, you got me there," said Spider-Man.

"You are pathetic, Peter. You protect Osborn because what... your good spirit?" Doctor Octopus questioned.

"Norman got what he deserved. He's thrown out of City Hall and he has to forever live with what he did with Devil's Breath," said Spider-Man.

"NOT ENOUGH!" Doctor Octopus shouted with raging fury.

Doctor Octopus jumps off his smokestack and at Spider-Man. Spider-Man jumps out of the way and lands on top of the smokestack with his four iron spider arms sprouting from the suit's back.

"I used this suit to fight off aliens with advanced technology. You're lucky I went with an Anti-Ock Suit last year instead of this one," said Spider-Man.

"An invention is only as good as the man who made it," said Doctor Octopus.

"Good, huh? I think we're talking about different kinds of _good_ ," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man back-flips off the smokestack and fires a web shot on the side of it. He starts swinging around and around the smokestack and slingshots himself towards Doc Ock with force. Doctor Octopus sends one of his tentacles at Spider-Man, but Spider-Man spin-whacks the tentacle away with his iron arms and socks Doctor Octopus in the face so hard, he knocks him off the smokestack. Spider-Man web-zips himself towards the falling Doctor Octopus and web-throws him towards another smokestack. Doctor Octopus falls into the giant hole in the roof and into one of the power plant's laboratories.

Spider-Man jumps in and sees a massive hole in the center of the room. Judging by the size and depth of the crater, Spider-Man assumes that the explosion should've wiped out the entire city block. Instead, it just blew a roof off and dug a deep hold underground, probably 300 or 500 feet.

" _The hole is approximately 479 feet and 2 inches deep,_ " F.R.I.D.A.Y. calculated.

"Uh, thanks," said Spider-Man.

" _Also, Doctor Octavius is getting back up,_ " F.R.I.D.A.Y. warned.

Doctor Octopus is feeling a little beat up, but his mind is still strong enough to make his tentacles work. His tentacles do the standing up for him. Unfortunately, he is a little too dazed. When he sends his tentacles at Spider-Man, it looked more like mindless swinging. Spider-Man deflects the tentacles with ease using his iron arms. He turns around and lets the arms do all the work. His Spider Sense will alert him if his no-look method will cost him. Well, it hasn't.

Spider-Man back-flips into the air again, right over Octavius, and and web-strikes the villainous doctor in the back, knocking him down on his face. Doctor Octopus gets up and sends one tentacle at Spider-Man. Spider-Man catches that tentacle with all four iron arms... and snaps claws off the tentacle. Spider-Man fires multiple Impact Web shots at the three other tentacles, webbing them to the floor.

That's when he rips the neural interface out from the back of Doc Ock's head, severing his control over the tentacles.

"Fighting you the first time was one of the worst moments of my life. Now, I'm just wondering why I never bothered with my better suits," said Spider-Man.

"I admit, you have the technological advantage," Doctor Octopus admitted, sounding a little winded from getting beat up.

"Why, Doc? Why blow up the power plant?" asked Spider-Man.

"I would tell you, but you got other problems to deal with," said Doctor Octopus.

Spider-Man's Spider Sense goes off just as Doctor Octopus says this. Turning around and looking up, Spider-Man sees something in the sky coming towards him. That something is coming in fast. Then Spider-Man's Spider Sense tingles even more. That something is a green-suited someone riding on a rocket-propelled glider, firing bullets at him. He had to jump out of the way, but also away from Octavius so the errant bullets don't hit him. He had to super-jump over the big hole in the middle of the lab, all the while dodging bullets and a mini-missile.

"A missile? That's different," said Spider-Man.

That someone riding on the glider... it's none other than the same goblin-faced felon who Spider-Man and Black Cat assumed works for Norman Osborn. He flies into the big hole on the roof and flies circles around the web-slinger.

"Well, if it isn't the Green Meanie," Spider-Man greeted humorously.

"Pathetic," Norman replied in a modulated voice, unamused.

"You're right. You're more of a demon than a comet. Green Demon, perhaps?" Spider-Man continued to joke around. "So, new body armor, huh? Nice. Semi-metallic kevlar over super protective polymeric material. Nice."

"Stay out of this, whoever you are!" Doctor Octopus yelled at the green-suited villain.

"Oh, right. You haven't met. Doctor Octavius, this is Green Meanie. Green Meanie, this is Doctor Octavius. Or Doctor Octopus, if you want to call him that," said Spider-Man.

"I know who he is," said Norman.

"Oh, I get it. You're saying Norman sent you to take him out," Spider-Man guessed. "That doesn't quite sound like him. He's a liar with an unethical outlook science, but he's no murderer."

"Your misunderstand. I'm here for both of you," said Norman.

The hoverboard-riding businessman throws a purple hand grenade at Spider-Man, only for him to kick it away into the big hole before it explodes. Spider-Man fires a web line at the Norman's chest, but Norman grabs Spider-Man's web line, spins 720-degrees around, and throws Spider-Man to a wall using his own web. Spider-Man gets back up and web-zips himself towards Norman. A punch to the masked face won't do enough. Norman grabs Spider-Man and takes him out of the power plant for a ride.

Doctor Octopus is left webbed down to the ground, but he was slowly breaking free. He's also very, very angry.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Norman and Spider-Man throw punches at each other, causing the glider to fly circles in the air. Spider-Man is wowed by the green guy's strength. He would've pried himself free if this guy is really just a normal man underneath. _Genetic enhancement perhaps_ , Spider-Man wondered. He assumes the guy works for Norman Osborn, so he must be using performance-enhancing projects made by Oscorp.

"What juice is Norman making these days? Orange juice with a pinch of super illegal experiments?" Spider-Man joked.

Spider-Man manages to kick Norman in the face, knocking him and himself off the glider. While Spider-Man has the webs to make a safe landing, Norman was on his way for a crash landing. Fortunately, he summons his glider back in time. However, by the time his feet reattach to the glider, the glider collides with the road, knocking him off of the flying marvel once again.

That means that ever passersby in the area now have a good look at Norman in his new suit... although he still wears the same goblin-looking mask.

"Everyone, stay back! Go!" Spider-Man shouted.

Spider-Man web-zips himself towards Norman and punches him in the face repeatedly. He even kicks him a few times. Norman, thanks to his enhanced reflexes, blocks Spider-Man's next kick and punches him so hard, Spider-Man is knocked down half a dozen feet away.

"Okay, not as tooth-shattering as Sable's fury, but hurts just as much," said Spider-Man. "Your boss is creating super soldiers. I think Captain America would like to have a word with you."

Spider-Man activates his iron arms again. Norman secretly commands his glider, which is behind him and out of Spider-Man's sight, to fire a grenade. Norman steps aside as the glider fires a grenade (an orange one). Spider-Man back-flips high to dodge, but the grenade detonates below him and blows him higher. Before he can land on his back, Norman manually controls his glider and has it ram Spider-Man, making his back landing harder.

"F.R.I.D.A.Y., this thing is trying to crush my ribs," Spider-Man grunted.

" _The grenade damaged your extra arms. They're only at 33% efficiency,_ " F.R.I.D.A.Y. reported. " _Try using your head._ "

Spider-Man headbutts the glider with his iron mask. Surprisingly, this pushes the glider off of him.

" _Not what I meant, but okay,_ " said F.R.I.D.A.Y.

"Oh, I thought you meant it literally," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man's Spider Sense goes off as he dodges another orange grenade fired by the glider. Norman throws a purple grenade at Spider-Man, but he just kicks it to the air so the explosion won't hurt someone or destroy something. Property damage is one of the most common arguments Jameson uses to discriminate the webhead.

"Hey, Jack-o-Goblin of Halloween. Enough with the pumpkins!" Spider-Man joked. "Pumpkin bombs? Hey, that's a good one."

"Here's four more," said Norman.

Norman throws four pumpkin bombs at the same time. Spider-Man jumps high, webs two bombs in the sky, but he's too late to stop the other two from detonating. Fortunately, the car they destroy was empty.

"Hey, that's my car!" The destroyed car's owner shouted.

"Don't blame me. Blame the one with the instruments of destruction," said Spider-Man.

Norman stops throwing bombs and settles for hand-to-hand combat. Norman never had any training, but he relied on his superhuman body to help him. He throws his hardest punches. Spider-Man gets hit a few times, but his reflexes prove too much even for Norman's enhancements. Spider-Man blocks Norman's punches after getting hit the first five times, and then kicks him in the head hard enough to knock him to the nearest empty car, shattering the glass. Norman counters by kicking the spider-themed hero mid-web-zip. Norman grabs Spider-Man by the neck and punches him to another car, damaging it. Norman grabs Spider-Man again and throws him to another car. Spider-Man, however, saves himself by activating his barely functional iron arms.

Spider-Man zooms towards Norman at high speed and spin-kicks him in the face. Norman tries blocking Spider-Man's next twelve punches, but Spider-Man is just way too fast. He kicks Norman in the back of the had, roundhouse-kicks him in his metal schnoz, punches him in the face at a very fast rate for ten seconds, and then finishes with one of his finishers. He webs Norman's chest, jumps over Norman, webs his shoulders, and throws him up and down as hard as he can without it being too much. Norman lies down a bit battered.

"Okay, Mr. Cabbage Face. Time for the big unmasking," said Spider-Man.

Suddenly, his Spider Sense alerts him, but to what? That was answered by an explosion not too far from where he's standing. That explosion destroys three buildings squeezed against each other. To everyone's horror, there were people inside those buildings. The damage was starting to spread to two more buildings.

"No!" Spider-Man cried.

Something drops out of the sky. It was none other than Doctor Octopus, having freed himself and caused yet another big explosion. Spider-Man sees Doc Ock holding some kind of hand-shaped bomb-like device that was glowing a strange blue. The blue glow inside of the device looked like a swirling clouds GIF, but if this is the thing that destroyed the three buildings, then he shouldn't be thinking funny right now.

"My latest masterpiece," Doctor Octopus said triumphantly. "Next time, there will be ruin of _cosmic_ proportion. Keep that in mind while you sleep, Spider-Man."

Spider-Man knew he couldn't get Octavius what with innocent people trapped in the two buildings that were currently about to be destroyed. He glares at the mad scientist before swinging towards

"Now, I believe he was about to unmask you," said Doctor Octopus.

Unfortunately, Norman has his glider fire multiple grenades to create a smokescreen, allowing him to fly away. Doctor Octopus also disappeared in the smoke, deciding that he will deal with what he thinks is Norman's errand boy another time.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Chinatown precinct, MJ is doing her part in Silver Sable's plan and interviewing Jessica Drew on the roof where no one will bother them. All that's left is for Felicia to find the right opportunity to steal Jessica's key card. She was about to use a smoke grenade, so Jessica won't see her. She'll intentionally leave a scratch mark on the railing so Jessica will not suspect MJ.

"The Wraith has become a big talking point these past few months, mostly because of her horrid actions supposedly motivated by a brutal viewpoint of justice," MJ said, trying to keep Jessica distracted. "Where do you stand on The Wraith, besides the obvious?"

"Criminals deserve to be punished, of course," said Jessica. "But execution without approval from the law is both immoral and distasteful. Make no mistake. The Wraith, despite her crimes that only target the criminals, is still a criminal herself and we will bring her to justi..."

MJ's phone beeps, interrupting the interview. Jameson's latest episode is out.

"Do you mind?" asked MJ.

"Not at all. He amuses me," said Jessica.

 _"More death and destruction have rained upon Manhattan today," Jameson said gloomily. "The deranged mad scientist known as Doctor Octopus blew up a city block, taking the lives of poor, innocent folks. Spider-Man and that flying lunatic with the green mask were reported to have been present in this horrific event. Clearly, Spider-Man was too busy showing off the people by pummeling the green menace until he cries uncle that he didn't prevent Otto Octavius from taking more lives. First, he attacks Oscorp's power plant, which only has a big hole in the ground to show for, but now he targets the innocent people of our great city during the jolliest month of the year. And Spider-Man failed to stop him. Like I said millions of times before, all he cares about is the glory. He doesn't care who lives or dies as long as he looks good in front of his so-called fans. Even worse, all three menaces live to destroy another city block another day. Sure, Spider-Man saved the people that were too close to the damage, but that does not make up for the lives he has to pay for. He will pay, as will Doctor Octopus and... the Green Goblin. Not bad, huh?"_

There was a brief pause. Jared must be talking (no one can hear him, of course).

 _"No, I did not choose that name because someone mentioned on the internet that Spider-Man called him a Jack-O-Goblin. I CAME UP WITH THAT NAME MYSELF WITH NO ONE TO INSPIRE ME!" Jameson claimed._

Jessica was indeed amused, as told by her silent chuckle.

"I'm, uh, sorry to have kept you here while this terrible tragedy happened," MJ apologized to the commissioner.

"Sadly, this is how the world works. It either rewards you or punishes you," said Jessica. "But don't worry, Ms. Watson. I was not expecting this. None of us did."

MJ receives a message on her phone from Felicia. Felicia said, "I got the key card." MJ was confused because she clearly saw Felicia about to use a smoke grenade. But she didn't. She and Jessica were listening to Jameson's episode while Felicia, somehow, took the key card from Jessica without her feeling or hearing anything. _Wow_ , MJ thought.

"I think we can continue this interview another time," said MJ. "You have something important to deal with."

"Yes, I do," Jessica greed.

MJ leaves the precinct. She reaches into her pocket and takes out a comm-link earpiece. She puts it on and contacts both Silver and Felicia, both who are hidden somewhere in the field of parked cars. They never told MJ where they are because they really need to make sure not a single soul suspects them.

"Are you sure you got it?" asked MJ.

 _"I'm heading to her apartment building right now to use it," said Felicia._

"I guess we can thank Jameson. She was so amused, she let her guard down," said MJ.

 _"Well done, both of you," said Silver. "Once we get the suit, Drew will be in panic. But we cannot expose her as the Spider-Woman yet. That will not connect her to Sarkissian. We keep the suit with us until either Drew or Sarkissian force us to take more steps further."_

"What about Spider-Man? I think it's best we let him into this," said MJ.

 _"Soon," said Silver._

MJ puts the earpiece away as she heads back home. Her phone rings, which means someone is calling her. It's Miles. The reason Miles is not around for the key card mission and the city block explosion is because he left yesterday to visit Janice in Connecticut. That also meant Rio is also out of town, as Miles knew she would not let him travel alone, even if he could.

MJ answers the call to see how Spider-Man Jr. is doing.

"Hey, Miles," MJ greeted. "How's Janice? Are you two feeling better?"

 **Otto's new secret weapon will be revealed soon. Adding something new that was never originally planned makes this harder, but since I already know what Otto's weapon is, I hope I can handle the use of it pre-revelation and post-revelation.** **Oh, and as for Miles, he wasn't supposed to be here. He'll be back in the next chapter, though. But I needed some breathing room, which meant less characters to make room for Otto and Norman to shine.**

 **And now, Norman is the Green Goblin. But he's not insane as he usually is in every iteration. In a review back in Chapter 23, rex1297 predicted correctly where I was going with Norman's transformation. How will Norman be like as a sane Green Goblin? Maybe I haven't fully fleshed that out here, as I was more concerned about GS-01 and his first fight with Spider-Man post-transformation. But don't judge me too soon. There will be more Norman. I know I haven't used Norman a lot in this story (since it started out as a fun one-shot collection and I didn't know what to do with Norman), but now he's becoming a bigger part of it.**

 **So, what do you think of this chapter?**


	40. The Path Towards Destruction

**Remember in the last chapter when Doc Ock attacked an A.I.M. truck to steal their tech, which he used to blow up a city block? Well, I thought it is high time that A.I.M. actually gets some focus instead of being just minor plot devices. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Give me your full, honest opinion. I would really, really appreciated it.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: Vanitas50 or Shadow25, Heinkelboy05, rex1297, I.D.'s Fantasy, josephguy217, Guest, Bismarck Alexander**

 ** _To Vanitas50 or Shadow25_: Well, the Sam Raimi Goblin design fits with my story, but the Goblin suit here is more technologically advanced. Imagine the Raimi Goblin suit but made of shiny metal.**

 ** _To Knox_: I like both Far From Home suits, but I really love the Upgraded Suit (the red and black one).**

 ** _To CG_: ****I know you don't have an official account, but these conversations through reviews is pretty irksome.** **Honestly, I'd rather save my crazy excitement and predictions for when the first SM3 trailer drops. Although, can we leave Mephisto out of this? I didn't read the comic (then again, I don't have time, money, and interest for comics), but I know that it's very hated because of the whole deal-with-the-devil thing.**

 ** _To I.D.'s Fantasy_: Well, that's JJJ for you. Even after Jefferson Davis' death, he still finds a way to talk trash against Spider-Man (he didn't blame him for the bombing yet, but he did say, "we can no longer tolerate the lawlessness that Spider-Man and his ilk represent"). Oh, and thanks for mentioning the numbering of the generic enemies. It gets repetitive, but it makes things a whole lot easier when identifying who gets kicked in the face and who gets webbed to a wall. As for F.R.I.D.A.Y., you may wanna read the beginning of Chapter 32 again. It's a sad story, but it's an explanation as to why Tony gave F.R.I.D.A.Y. to Peter.**

Peter and MJ are at home working on their latest story. Mayor Sarkissian's pre-Christmas charity event for those suffering from The Raft escapees. Peter took pictures and MJ managed to get one interview with the mayor. Sarkissian answered MJ's questions like any politician would, putting focus on the people and being as straightforward as they can. _She's definitely an Oscar-level actress_ , MJ thought throughout the interview. MJ couldn't stop replaying the video of the interview. She couldn't believe how despicably convincing Sarkissian can be.

"For a HYDRA flunky, she sure is sophisticated," Peter commented.

"Well, don't worry. Sable is holding on to Spider-Woman's suit for the meantime. We're getting closer," said MJ.

"Jessica Drew is Spider-Man. I should've seen it myself," said Peter. "But hey, it's nice to know that you, Felicia, and Sable are working together."

"Doesn't it make you feel awkward?" MJ teased.

"That my girlfriend, ex-girlfriend, and the girl who kissed me in front of the whole world are getting along? Kinda, but it's great. Really," said Peter. "The four of us, including Miles, could really do so much if we work together as one."

"You really think Felicia is capable of helping people other than herself?" MJ questioned. "She's only working with me and Sable because Sarkissian is threatening her."

"I know, but maybe working with us will unlock the hero that I know is inside of her," said Peter.

"So, your hopes for her are 50-50?" asked MJ.

"What about you? 90-10 in favor of no?" Peter replied.

"Sarkissian first. Black Cat later," said MJ.

"Hey, look," Peter said, pointing at the TV. "Isn't that A.I.M.'s CEO?"

News footage of the head of A.I.M., Monica Rappaccini, exiting her car and walking towards City Hall. Mid-30s, born in Italy, expert biochemist, and became the CEO of one of the world's most technologically advanced companies. One that can rival Oscorp, especially now.

"Octavius attacked an A.I.M. transport truck before he blew up a city block. No coincidence that A.I.M. was hoarding something powerful and dangerous," said Peter.

"Didn't A.I.M. also steal some of Hank Pym's shrinking particles?" asked MJ.

"Yeah, I have made zero progress on that little favor for Scott," said Peter. "But right now, I just need to know what A.I.M. was hiding, to know what that blue glowing device was."

"Rappaccini is too high-profile. You can't exactly just walk up to her and ask her for any favors," said MJ. "Especially if A.I.M. is as corrupt as they are shady."

"I'm just gonna tail her," said Peter. "I'll use the Stealth Suit."

"Just don't fry your batteries, okay?" MJ said. "Spider-Man is under enough fire from The Raft breakout as it is."

Peter lets out an annoyed sigh and says, "If only we have proof that Fisk helped Li cause the breakout."

"Fisk is behind bars for life, and no amount of money is gonna help him," said MJ. "Just focus on A.I.M. for now."

Peter puts on his Advanced Suit and swings towards the new Stark Tower to get his Stealth Suit. Unfortunately, someone saw him exit MJ's apartment window in his suit. Stationing herself at a balcony far enough with a pair of binoculars that allow her to spy on the spider-themed superhero, Yuri had just gotten confirmation of her suspicions. Not too long ago, Mister Negative called Spider-Man, "Peter," and it didn't take long for Yuri to get an idea on which Peter in Manhattan could be the man under the mask. Remembering when she met a certain Peter at F.E.A.S.T., she remembered that she thought his voice and sense of humor reminded her of someone else.

Also, MJ is dating Spider-Man, a fact that she couldn't hide from the former police commissioner because of, well, blushing. Yuri saw Peter Parker in MJ's apartment and saw him leave in a red, blue, and white suit.

"Gotcha, Peter Parker," Yuri said.

* * *

In the mayor's office, Monica Rappaccini is having a not-so-civil conversation with Mayor Ophelia Sarkissian. Good thing they were alone in the room with no one eavesdropping by the door. The reason for this extreme privacy? Monica knows something about Ophelia that the city doesn't and Ophelia wanted to be sure that Monica knows her place.

"I don't have it, Monica," said Ophelia. "And did you really just come here to accuse me?"

"Maybe you don't have it, but I suspect you already knew," said Monica.

"You better watch your tongue, Scientist Supreme. You prove nothing with your words," said Ophelia.

"The Red Skull is long dead, Sarkissian. Yet you and your lackeys foolishly continue to carry his vision," said Monica.

"When I became mayor, I agreed to leave A.I.M. alone, unless they cross us first," said Ophelia.

"No, you became mayor just to have the power over A.I.M.," Monica accused. "Octavius has something of ours and I want you to leave him to us."

"What will you do? Even before I ran this office, A.I.M. has already been suspected of unlawful acts, such as illegal weapons and unethical chemical experimentations," Ophelia reminded. "If you and your beekeepers start shooting guns out in the open just to find Octavius, then you can kiss your company goodbye. I won't even be shutting you down to better my intentions. I will do it because the people want it."

"You play with fire, Sarkissian," Monica said threateningly. "If I so much as find out that you got your hands on even one shard, one screw, or one bolt of my creations, I will not hesitate to put out your fire."

Ophelia presses the button on her desk that summons security.

"You're out of time, Ms. Rappacinni," Ophelia said. "Please, leave my office. It was nice to talk to you again."

"This is not over," Monica warned.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Monica gets back into her car and heads back to A.I.M.'s laboratory, which is outside Manhattan. Cars filled with bodyguards and A.I.M. scientists surround her vehicle in order to keep her safe just in case. Monica knows who Ophelia is and she does not want to take any chances with her, like coming to see her alone without any security.

Monica's only half-wrong. She is being stalked, but not by the mayor. It was Spider-Man, zipping from building to building while in his Stealth Suit, rendering him invisible to the naked eye. Unfortunately, he can't web-swing in this suit or else the camouflage systems will fail and he will be exposed. The best he can do is crawl, wall-run, and slingshot himself from one building to the next. Monica and her fellow scientists are not going too fast, so he could still keep up at this slower rate.

 _"The Stealth Suit working for you?" asked MJ._

"Working better than before," Spider-Man whispered. "So far, nothing, at least nothing that I could hear or see."

 _"What are you planning?" asked MJ._

"Use Miles' hacking app to get access the Scientist Supreme's data," said Spider-Man.

 _"Can you believe that the media calls her that?" MJ questioned. "Then again, she is one of the brightest scientists in the world. One science magazine put her on the World's Top 10 Scientists or something."_

"Biochemistry. Biotechnology. Nanotechnology. Physics. Owner of Oscorp's biggest business rival company. I guess I can't deny that she is something," Spider-Man admitted. "Too bad she's just another corrupt scientist, using Pym Particles for who-knows-what and probably using some blue-glowing power source for a WMD."

 _"Just make sure to hack fast and get out fast," said MJ. "I gotta submit our story to Robbie. I'll just tell him that you had to go back to the lab. Later, Tiger."_

A second after the call ended, Spider-Man's Spider Sense tingled. Unfortunately, he already got hit. It was a tiny disk that attached itself to his suit, shocked him, short-circuited the suit's stealth system, and made him lose grip on the wall.

Spider-Man falls down in an alleyway as he rips the small electric disk off of him. Before he could react, someone kicks him in the face. She looked like Spider-Woman, but she was only wearing a black spandex and a domino mask that resembled her real look. The custom-made web shooters that fired Electric Webs, however, prove that it really is her.

"You again?" Spider-Man complained.

"You stole my suit. You should've seen this coming," said Spider-Woman.

"I don't have your suit, but I know who it really belongs to," said Spider-Man. "Hasn't this city had enough messed-up police commissioners?"

Spider-Man quickly fires a web line, sticking Spider-Woman's right hand to the ground.

"So, you know everything?" Spider-Woman assumed.

"Well, not everything," said Spider-Man. "But I know enough to know that I can't let you get away. You and the mayor, this is not what this city needs. It needs a mayor who puts the people's needs about their own. It needs a police commissioner who focuses on the safety of everyone. You and Sarkissian, you two are just adding more problems to this city."

"The Raft breakout. That was not our fault," said Spider-Woman. "That was all Li."

"And we would be able to end all this sooner if you weren't so focus on serving some evil organization," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man webs Spider-Woman's other hand to the ground.

"No more misery. No more suffering. Unless you change your mind and help me, like what all heroes in this city who wear a spider on their chest should with each other, I'm gonna have to turn you in," said Spider-Man.

"Then I guess that's my cue," said Spider-Woman.

Spider-Woman, despite her hands being webbed to the ground, flip-kicks the web-slinger in the face. She frees her hands from the webs and kicks Spider-Man three more times. Spider-Man dodges her fourth kick and counters with a tornado kick to the head. Spider-Man blocks her punches before webbing her hand and attaching the other end of the web line to a wall. Spider-Woman gets dragged and her face hits the wall. Spider-Man fires Impact Web to glue her to the wall.

"You have no idea what you're doing," Spider-Woman said ominously.

"Stopping a supervillain slash Spidey wannabe from causing more trouble," Spider-Man said nonchalantly.

"I know you're following Rappaccini. I know you think A.I.M. has something to do with the bombs that Octavius used to blow up the Oscorp power plant and a whole city block," said Spider-Woman. "Well, you don't have to spy on her."

Spider-Woman drops what appears to be a flash drive. Spider-Man picks it up.

"You'll find everything you need in it," said Spider-Woman.

"Why are you giving this to me?" asked Spider-Man. "I doubt the mayor would like it if you're helping me."

"Let's just say the mayor has no love for A.I.M.," said Spider-Woman.

"This doesn't change anything. You're still gonna have to reveal your true identity to the force," said Spider-Man.

"Whether you have my suit or not, it doesn't matter. I'll find it and then I'm coming for you," said Spider-Woman. "And you can't prove anything. Remember, I am still the law in this city."

Spider-Woman vanishes via a smoke grenade. Spider-Man coughs as the smoke disappears, along with his opponent.

"Man, I hate those things," Spider-Man complained. "Maybe I should get some of my own."

* * *

Miles Morales is back in town and back in his Kid Arachnid suit... and breaking into Oscorp in the middle of the night. Right now, he's crawling through the air ducts, trying to stay hidden. They are still people in the building, including Norman, and being seen is the last thing on his to-do list on his visit here. He crawls slowly and quietly as he tries to ignore every argument he hears along the way.

"This is so not how I wanted to spend my evening," Kid Arachnid complained out loud but quietly.

 _"Would you prefer lamenting over Ms. Connolly, Mr. Morales?" His contact questioned, via comm-link._

"You can me Miles, Sable," said Kid Arachnid.

 _"Just trying to be nice," Silver said stoically. "We'd get nowhere disagreeing."_

"Why am I the one breaking into Oscorp for you?" Kid Arachnid whined. "I mean, I know you love giving out orders, being a princess... queen... but I thought you love getting your hands dirty. You'd have a better chance breaking into this place than I do. You can actually just walk into the front door.""

 _"My reputation in this city is fragile. I cannot risk too much illegal activity," said Silver._

"Well, besides vigilantism, what other illegal thing can you be doing?" Kid Arachnid questioned. "How's the search for the thief, by the way?"

 _"Focus on the mission at hand, Morales," said Silver._

"It's Miles... ack, forget it," said Kid Arachnid. "Okay, Norman's not in his office. I'm going in."

Kid Arachnid exits the air vents and drops into Norman's empty office. He unnecessarily sneaks towards his computer and starts hacking. He was hurrying up because Norman or someone can walk in at any second.

"Remind me what I'm looking for again," Kid Arachnid asked.

 _"Ms. Hardy informed me that Norman intends to make his personal copies of Project Olympus," said Silver. "I cannot let him continue that project. But first, I need intel."_

"Man, you really hate it when people steal or duplicate your stuff," said Kid Arachnid. "Hey, while I work, we really need to talk about you know my secret identity... and Peter's secret identity."

 _"As long as you do not give me a reason to expose you, I won't," said Silver._

"Do you have to make that sound like a threat? Unless it is a threat?" asked Kid Arachnid.

 _"Spider-Man has more than earned my respect. I have no reason to turn on him, not anymore," said Silver. "You have nothing to worry about, child."_

"Are you sure?" asked Kid Arachnid.

 _"You don't trust me," Silver knew._

"I... uh... well... maybe not 100%," Kid Arachnid admitted. "You did almost blow up the Financial District, I mean."

 _"I do not mind. Just another reminder that I am not a welcome sight in this city," said Silver. "But I know I can count on your mentor."_

"So, you don't mind asking others for help anymore, huh?" Kid Arachnid asked.

 _"I never needed help. I could only rely on myself and, sometimes, my men," said Silver. "But ever since Devil's Breath, I have been thinking too much about who I am, who I want to be, and what legacy I want to leave behind."_

"Legacy? You, uh, planning on getting married one day?" Kid Arachnid joked.

 _"Point is, I would not be asking for your assistance if not for Spider-Man. I have too much to thank him for, but never enough time," said Silver._

"I think I'm starting to like you more," said Kid Arachnid. "Just to be clear. You're not at all bothered that he's committed to MJ, like, forever?"

Silver did not respond to that.

"Oo-kay. Sorry to ask," Kid Arachnid said awkwardly. "Okay, I'm in. I found the file. He calls it _Project Olympus Remastered_. What is this? A video game?"

 _"Just download the entire file and get out of there!" Silver said impatiently._

"Okay. Yikes! And I thought mood swings don't come before the bun is in the oven," Kid Arachnid commented.

Kid Arachnid has no idea how close his statement was to the truth. Silver stayed silent as she once again thought about her big secret.

* * *

At the A.I.M. laboratory at Staten Island, Monica heads to the lowest floor underground to check on her super secret project. A project she would not let the mayor or anyone else know about. A.I.M. is a technological company with grand ambitions. Those ambitions can only be fulfilled through further advancements in technology. People have accused them of being corrupt, but they just brush these "theories" aside. A.I.M. hopes that their latest big project will propel them to the top of the world in technology.

That latest big project comes in the form of a blue glowing cube that is being contained in a small glass sphere. The glass sphere is connected to a device that scans the cube.

"Update?" Monica asked for a report.

"The cube's energy continues to fluctuate unpredictably," said Dr. Getz. "But it's still pretty much stable."

"Well, we need to move up our schedule," said Monica. "Octavius stole samples of the cube's power from the transport last week."

"Are we still planning on selling this cube to HYDRA?" asked Dr. Getz.

"We're not selling the cube. We're selling weapons imbued with its power," said Monica. "Sarkissian knows we have it, but she can't have it. She's lucky that we're willing to part with some of its power. But as we already know, while the cube's power may or may not be infinite, it constantly recharges itself after we extract part of its energy."

"What about us? Aren't we gonna use its energy as well?" asked Dr. Getz.

"We don't want a war with HYDRA. We're not animals, Dr. Getz. Our goal is to be the most successful scientific corporation on the planet. We achieve that through innovation, not violence, unless necessary," said Monica. "But we will be prepared for it. Make sure that our weapons room is loaded with weapons powered by the cube."

"I'm on it," Dr. Getz obeyed.

"And how is the progress with my new suit?" asked Monica.

"It's nearly ready," Dr. Getz answered. "Bulletproof. Fireproof. Radiation-proof. We still have to finish weaponizing it."

"I'll see to that myself," said Monica.

Suddenly, the alarms went off. Reports of an intruder boom through the PA system from all over the place. A.I.M. Scientists (all who are wearing "beekeeper" suits) grab their weapons to prepare for this intruder.

 _"Intruder coming in from the front... AAAAAGGHH!"_

 _"We need backup! We need... AGH-AAAAGGHH!"_

 _"It's Octavius! It's... BRBRBRBRBR-AAAAGGH!"_

"I may need that suit finished now, Dr. Getz," said Monica.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Doctor Octopus is shredding through A.I.M. scientists like they're nothing. Smacking them aside with his tentacles, tossing them around with his tentacles, and blocking the blasts from their energy guns with his tentacles, he was having little to no trouble. But then an army of two dozen start coming at his direction. That's when he uses the exact same explosive device he used last week.

The bomb with the mysterious blue glow.

He throws it an the incoming army and vaporizes all two dozen of the armed scientists.

"What a waste," said Doctor Octopus. "Good thing I'm about to get a lot more."

"More what? Pain!"

That was none other than the wisecracking web head himself, swinging in and kicking Doctor Octopus in the face, knocking him down on his back. Good thing the mad scientist's tentacles do the standing up for him. He sees that the web head has come wearing his Vibranium Suit.

"I assume you followed me," Doctor Octopus guessed.

"Actually, I was just passing by until I saw an eight-legged Raft escapee who needs a serious beating and a serious talking to," said Spider-Man.

"Always using your fists, huh, Parker? Primitive," Doctor Octopus insulted.

"You're wrong, Doc. I always use my head. And my head tells me that words won't work with you. So, punching you in the face seems like the next best thing," said Spider-Man. "Too bad I didn't pack my Anti-Ock suit or this fight'll be over in two seconds."

Doctor Octopus smacks Spider-Man aside with a swing of a tentacle. Before Spider-Man can get up, Doctor Octopus grabs him with two tentacles and slams him to the ground twice before throwing him again. Despite a hard crash to a metal wall, Spider-Man gets up like he was only pushed down. The Vibranium, it helps with protection.

"I expect you to be more confident with what you're wearing. Vibranium, Peter, it's a rare and valuable gift," said Doctor Octopus.

Doctor Octopus sends one tentacle charging at Spider-Man, who grabs it with his two hands to prevents himself from getting skewered. Using his super strength, Spider-Man tightens his grip on the tentacle and throws it (and Doc Ock) across the corridor. Doctor Octopus saves himself from a spine-to-wall collision by having his tentacles cling onto said wall before his back makes impact with the flat metal stuff. Doctor Octopus approaches Spider-Man as fast as he can and slams his tentacle on top of him, pinning the hero to the ground. Doc Ock closes the tentacle's claws around Spider-Man and throws him to a wall as hard as he can.

After getting up, Spider-Man starts punching the ground multiple times.

"Like I said. Primitive," Doctor Octopus insulted.

"Vibranium. Doesn't. Just. Absorb. Vibrations," Spider-Man said in between punches.

The linings between Spider-Man's suit start to glow purple. The purple glow shines brighter and brighter with each punch. After about nineteen punches, Spider-Man gets back up and charges at his former boss.

Doctor Octopus charges as well with two tentacles up and ready for grabbing or stabbing. Spider-Man jumps with his right fist up. The web-slinger lands with a strong punch to the floor. The punch releases a purple energy shockwave that sends Doctor Octopus flying back. This time, his back (along with his head, arms, and legs) hit the wall.

"I learned that from my buddy Black Panther," said Spider-Man. "Well, I like to think of us as buddies, at least."

Spider-Man's Spider Sense tingles. He turns around and sees a figure dashing through the shadows.

"Later, Ock," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man webs Doctor Octopus' body and tentacles to the wall and floor, trying to make sure he stays put until he comes back.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Two A.I.M. scientists guard the door to the room where the cube is, armed with guns powered by the cube itself. And they'll get the chance to test them out. Someone in the shadows approaches them with unfriendly intent. They start firing, but their blasts hit nothing as the intruder was too fast.

The intruder disarms A.I.M. Scientist #1 and stabs him through the heart with a shiny dagger. She then uses the dead scientist's corpse as a human shield for A.I.M. Scientist #2's blaster fire. The first blast vaporizes the dead scientist. The intruder zooms towards the other scientist, kicks his blaster off his hands, and then digs her "claws" into his neck. The scientist starts to feel weaker as his innards burn and twist his veins, as if he was being poisoned. As he slowly dies, he gets a good look at the intruder.

The intruder is female, has greenish streaks on her hair, wears a dark green skin-tight body suit, and conceals the lower half of her face with a mask.

"Too easy," she said in a low and sadistic voice.

The intruder proceeds to the lab, where the cube is being held. No one is there.

"No way this could be easy," said the intruder.

"No kidding!"

The intruder turns around, only to get hit with an Impact Web shot. She falls, rolls, and tumbles on the ground as she struggles to escape the web coating restricting her movement. Her attack, Spider-Man, stands over her with crossed arms.

"So, it's not just Doc Ock who wants a piece of the Cosmic Cube," said Spider-Man.

"So, you know of what it is?" asked the intruder.

"That it holds cosmic energy of unknown origin. Yup, pretty much. I also know that this cube is the reason five dozen people died last week," said Spider-Man.

"So, you came to steal from A.I.M.?" The intruder assumed.

"Actually, I was just doing recon. But then I saw Dr. Octavius and I thought I'd drop by for a visit as well," said Spider-Man.

The intruder escapes from her binds and trip-kicks Spider-Man. She was about to scratch him with her claws, but he scurries backwards to dodge the sharp nails. He back-flips back on his feet and lands two swift kicks on the intruder. The intruder counters with three quick punches to the face before knocking him down with a jumping spin kick to the torso. She then digs her poisoned claws into his chest.

"You like nicknames, Spider-Man? Call me Viper," said the intruder.

She kicks the poisoned Spider-Man down, leaving him to succumb to the poison so she can grab the cube. Spider-Man tries to fight the poison, but it's weakening him faster than Scorpion's neurotoxin.

"I know you want the cube, Spider-Man. The hero in you will not let people like A.I.M. keep it," said Viper.

"People... like... A.I.M... and you," Spider-Man grunted. "Agh! Spider-Sense tingling! What..."

A green energy blast comes out of nowhere and blasts Viper away from the cube.

This third party comes in wearing a helmet that emits a green glow, which makes her skin look green. _She looks like an alien_ , Spider-Man thought. The third party also wears armor of the colors gold and black. It is equipped with a bunch of technology, such as repulsor blast knockoffs that fire green energy.

"Ms. Scientist Supreme, I presume," said Viper, recognizing the third party's face.

"I guess the facial concealment needs work," said Scientist Supreme.

"Uh, hello, Ms. Rappaccini," Spider-Man greeted awkwardly. "First of all, big fan of your work. Second, do you have any treatment for pois... agh!"

Spider-Man lies down as he continues to fight the poison in him. While he's down, Viper and

"So, Ophelia sends an assassin to do her dirty work?" Scientist Supreme questioned judgmentally. "She has all this talent and technology at her disposal. Why didn't she just do it herself?"

Viper chuckles and says, "Well, let me show why she chose me."

Viper runs towards Monica as fast she can, dodging her energy blasts, before giving the A.I.M. CEO a kick to the helmet. The helmet didn't crack, but she did get knocked back. Viper decides to forget about the helmet and aims lower. A kick to the stomach, a spin-kick to the back, and a roundhouse kick to the chest. Viper starts scratching her armor with her claws, but they can't reach her skin. All she's doing is leaving scratch marks on Monica's armor.

"They don't call me one of the smartest women in the world for nothing," Scientist Supreme bragged.

Monica finally hits Viper with an energy blast, a big and powerful one at that. She grabs one of her hand-sized grenades and throws it at Viper. Viper jumps out of the way, but gets blown away by the grenade's green blast. Monica punches Viper six times in the face with her steel-covered fists. Unfortunately, Viper recovers quickly and jumps right over her. She grabs her helmet between her feet and slams it to the ground upon landing. The helmet is finally cracked.

"Are you finally done? 'Cause I could really use a cure," Spider-Man said casually, in spite of the pain.

"Impressive. Normal men would be dead already from the poison," Viper said, astonished.

"Yeah, well, I'm impressed at myself as well," Spider-Man joked.

"On the brink of death and you crack jokes? Who made you the savior of this city?" Viper criticized.

"Savior? That's too much," Spider-Man said as he slowly got up. "I like to think of myself as your Friendly... Neighborhood... Spider-M..."

Viper interrupts him by kicking him in the face. Clearly, the poison has affected his reflexes. He may be able to stand and move right now, but the poison is slowly weakening him even more.

"Maybe you need a second dose," Viper said, showing her claws.

"Are those organic or self-made?" Spider-Man joked.

Just as Viper was about to give Spider-Man another dose of poison, a blue energy blast shows up and hits the ceiling. All the pipes, wires, and metal boxes that make up the ceiling start falling down on Spider-Man, Viper, and Scientist Supreme. Spider-Man pushes Viper away from the falling rubble and webs Scientist Supreme to safety. Unfortunately, he himself gets hit and pinned to the ground by a heavy pipe. Viper and Scientist Supreme get hit by some metal, causing them to collapse to unconsciousness.

When the dust from the collapse cleared, Spider-Man is pinned under rubble, as were Viper and Scientist Supreme. As for the one who brought the ceiling down on them, it was none other than Doctor Octopus, armed with a blaster powered by the cube's energy. He tosses it aside as he was going for the cube itself.

"Otto! Don't!" Spider-Man begged.

"Why should I, Peter? This right here, it's a scientific marvel that is being wasted down here with these morons," said Doctor Octopus. "Unlike them, I will put it to good use. Norman will never see it coming."

"Why waste... your life... tormenting him?" Spider-Man grunted, too hurt.

"As I said, Peter, he has to lose everything. Everything!" Doctor Octopus reminded. "His wealth. His empire. His legacy. All of it, burned to ash. Norman will not be able to recover from the upcoming destruction."

"You don't know what that thing is capable of," said Spider-Man. "And neither do I."

"You're right. I don't. But in time, I will," said Doctor Octopus. "What matters is that this cube has the power I need to ensure no one stands in my way. Nor you, Osborn, or even Martin Li will stand a chance."

Doctor Octopus rips the glass sphere holding the cube out of the stabilizing device with his tentacles and carries it out of the lab. Spider-Man uses all of his strength, in spite of the poison, to push the rubble off of him. He feels as if his muscles could give out at any second, but he keeps pushing. Fighting the poison weakening him, he exerts all of his strength to push the literal heavy metal off his body.

Spider-Man then web-pulls the rubble off Viper and Scientist Supreme, and then webs them to the floor to keep them from escaping.

"Hang tight, ladies. I got an octopus to throw back into the ocean," said Spider-Man.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ SPIDER-MAN ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Spider-Man swings pass the trail of destruction and dead A.I.M. scientists on his way to lab's exit. Just seeing the bloody mess makes Spider-Man sick to his stomach. This is the Otto Octavius who wanted to use his knowledge in prosthetics to help others, as well as his own physical condition, all for the sake of good. But Spider-Man keeps telling himself that this has always been who he is. Neural interface or no neural interface, there has always been a monster deep inside Doctor Octavius. A monster created by Norman Osborn.

"I wanna help you, Doc, but you are not making this easy for me," said Spider-Man.

Suddenly, Spider-Man's vision starts to blur, causing him to swing face-first to the wall above the lab's exit. After landing on his face, he attempts to crawl out of A.I.M.'s facility. He tries to stand up, but he knows he can't fight the poison any longer.

"MJ... call Sable... and Miles," he said weakly. "A.I.M. research center... Staten Island... hu-hurry..."

He couldn't say more as he passes out.

* * *

Spider-Man opens his eyes and sees a beige-colored ceiling. He looks at his hand, which was covered in shining metallic red, and realizes that he's wearing his Iron Spider suit. _When did I change_ , he wondered. As his vision clears, he sees MJ sitting right next to him, smiling at him. She holds his hand and caresses his cheek, trying to comfort him as he wakes up from a painful nap.

"Easy, Tiger," said MJ. "You're still recovering."

"Thank you," said Spider-Man. "But, uh, what happened? How long?"

"Not too long. Sable pulled you out before that mess at A.I.M. drew more attention," said MJ. "Miles was able to synthesize an antidote for the poison. Just in time, too."

"It was a lackey of Sarkissian's. She calls herself Viper. I can see why," said Spider-Man. He still felt groggy. "Ugh, where am I?"

"At F.E.A.S.T., so you may wanna keep that mask on," said MJ.

"The suit's insta-formation via nanobots. That way, you can put it on me in a second without risking my identity. Smart," said Spider-Man. "I'm really glad to see you, MJ."

"I'm here, too."

Spider-Man looks to his left and sees Felicia just leaning against the wall. Spider-Man just awkwardly waved at her and she waved back. MJ definitely feels awkward being in the same room as these two ex-lovers.

"Hey, man!" Kid Arachnid greeted as he ran into the room. "Glad to see you're back up on your feet."

"As am I," said the Symkarian princess, who also walked in upon seeing the web-slinger wake up.

Silver closes and locks the door so the five of them can talk alone. It really made Spider-Man happy to see all of his girlfriend and his closest friends and allies in the same room. One person was missing, though.

"If only Yuri was here with us," Spider-Man said sadly.

"You really miss her, don't you?" asked Felicia.

"One day, Felicia, she'll come to her senses," said Spider-Man. "Whether or not The Wraith is who she is, I know that the noble and killjoy Yuri Watanabe is in there somewhere."

"Naive, but... dare I say it... adorable," Felicia admitted.

"Spider-Man, we read the data in your suit about A.I.M.'s weapon," said MJ.

"The Cosmic Cube. An object of unknown cosmic origin," Silver stated. "And I would assume that Octavius now has it."

"Which means what he did to that Oscorp power plant and that one city block will be nothing compared to what he might do with it," Spider-Man feared.

"And that's why we're all here," said Kid Arachnid. "We're all in the same team, right? Us against, well, all the bad guys."

"Li is gearing up for the Second Manhattan War. Yuri is gunning for Li. Otto has a weapon of mass destruction beyond our understanding. Norman Osborn has the Green Goblin doing who-knows-what. Spider-Woman is panicking over the theft of her suit. Sarkissian has a venomous vixen for an assassin doing errands for her. Monica Rappaccini has herself a battle armor. Scorpion, Electro, Shocker, Vulture, they're still on the loose," Spider-Man enumerated with worry. "It's gonna be an all-out war, and New York is caught in the middle."

"Makes you wonder. What will be left when it's all over?" MJ wondered fearfully.

"That's why we have to stop this fast," said Spider-Man. "One threat at a time. Divide and conquer and all that. We need to approach this from all sides."

"But our enemies are really good at hiding. Some of them are protected by the law," said Felicia. "We can't touch them for many reasons."

"And that's why we have to stick together," said Spider-Man. "The five of us - six, if we can bring Yuri to our side - we can save this city. Protect it. As heroes - yes, that includes you, too, Felicia - we have a responsibility to the people, no matter who or where."

"We're with you, Spider-Man," MJ smiled.

"I have no reason to walk out now," said Silver. "This is bigger than my reason for staying."

"I guess it would be nice to play the hero again, for now," said Felicia.

"This is so awesome," Kid Arachnid geeked.

"We will fight until the great city of New York is peaceful again," Spider-Man said determinedly. "But first..."

Spider-Man falls back and lies down again.

"A little rest," Spider-Man finished, exhausted.

"And listen to Jameson's latest episode," MJ said.

Everyone takes out their phones and tunes in to Just the Facts to listen to everyone's favorite rambling newsman.

 _"Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus have been spotted at Staten Island, breaking into A.I.M.'s research facility, causing a bunch of death and destruction before walking out," said Jameson. "Reports say that Silver Sable picked up an unconscious Spider-Man, which should be of no surprise considering their PDA months ago. But before that, Otto Octavius walked out of that facility, stealing an unidentified weapon that is very familiar to the one he used to blow up both Oscorp's power plant and five buildings at once last week. Big question is... what is A.I.M. hiding from us? Are they really developing illegal weapons like they've been rumored to be doing? How did Dr. Octavius know about them? Thees are important questions, people! As important as the question, When will Spider-Man finally bite the dust... er... I mean, when will be finally brought to justice? Thanks to his failure to prevent the breakout at the Raft and its destruction, we have way too much to fear. The Sinister Six! A.I.M.! Morbid vigilantism! The list goes on and on and on. Thank you, Spider-Man. My blood pressure is going off the roof because of you!"_

"Someone give that guy a chill pill," Kid Arachnid commented.

"Or a 70-year frozen nap," Spider-Man added.

* * *

At one of HYDRA's secret underground labs, Viper returns to lament on her failure to procure the Cosmic Cube. She takes off her mask and looks at herself in the mirror. Some of her green locks cover the right side of her face as she stares at her claws, which appear to be organic, not artificial. It still astonishes her that Spider-Man could fight her venom for so long. In all likelihood, he's still breathing, especially since Silver has been reported to have picked him up from Staten Island.

"Mother," someone called.

Viper turns around and sees Jessica, removing her domino mask as she looks at her mother with awe. Mother. As in Viper's true identity is Ophelia Sarkissian. Ever imagined her with green hair? Well, the brunette look was a fake, assisted with a very convincing wig.

"You told Spider-Man about the Cosmic Cube, didn't you?" Ophelia knew.

"I thought he'd be the perfect scapegoat," said Jessica.

"And your plan failed," said Ophelia. "I can't believe you would do this behind my back."

"Well, you didn't tell me that you were getting rid of the wig and putting on a mask tonight," Jessica spat. "I gotta say. I know green is your actual hair color, but I've gotten so use to you in the wig."

"Thank HYDRA for this," Ophelia said, stroking her own green hair.

"Octavius has the cube, doesn't he?" asked Jessica.

"Thanks in partial to you, my child," said Ophelia. "Don't ever do anything rash without consulting me first. Manhattan is about to be the groundwork for a bloody war between the heroes, escapees, A.I.M., and us. HYDRA can't afford to fall behind."

"I'm sorry, mother," Jessica apologized.

"Do not apologize to me, young lady," said Ophelia.

"I look pretty much the same age as you," Jessica pointed out.

"No jokes, Jessica," Ophelia scolded. "I had such high hopes for you, but you have failed me multiple times. I gave you power, and you still do more wrong than right."

"I'm your daughter. Have a little more faith in me," said Jessica.

"I raised you to be the perfect soldier. That is what I and Strucker expect of you," said Ophelia.

"I will not disappoint you next time," Jessica promised. "But I have to get my suit back."

"Find your suit if you must, but do not use Spider-Man again," said Ophelia. "I would hate to have to punish you, Jessica. As you said, you are my daughter. I expect more of you and I only wish that you make me proud."

"And I will," Jessica promised. "Hail HYDRA."

"Hail HYDRA," Ophelia replied with a smirk.

 **As I mentioned before, for the sake of my sanity, the Raft breakout storyline is ending a bit sooner than you'd expect. I'm nearing an all-out war in New York and I am personally scared on how I will write it. I know I've stressed this before, but I am really under so much pressure with all this. Instead of Deadpool, Gwen Stacy, Spider-Verse, or Venom, I decided to go for something a lot bigger. Maybe this is not what some people were asking for, but again... all this pressure and requests led me to this point. I'm gonna keep stressing all this pressure because, again, just look at how far this story has gone from where it started. We went from Sable kissing Spidey in public to a deadly war.**

 **So, what do you think of this chapter? What are your thoughts on what I've done with Jessica Drew? Any thoughts on the revelation of the Cosmic Cube? If you leave a review, please tell me your thoughts on this chapter.**

 **Note:**

 **\- Have any of you played Marvel Strike Force? If you need a clear picture of what the Scientist Supreme looks like, use that game as a reference. Great design, I admit.**


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